By Atoyebi Nike
The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Joseph Utsev, has dismissed claims that water released from Kainji and Jebba Dams triggered the recent flooding that claimed lives in Mokwa, Niger State.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, Utsev said the incident was due to intense rainfall and poor urban planning, not dam operations.
“Our investigations confirm there were no discharges from either dam,” he said, adding that both Kainji and Jebba remain structurally safe.
Utsev sympathized with affected communities, noting that the disaster was worsened by construction activities that blocked a seasonal tributary of River Dingi, which typically only flows during rainstorms.
He blamed the overflow on climate-related weather extremes and inadequate drainage systems, stressing that the lack of alternative water routes compounded the crisis.
Citing the 2025 Annual Flood Outlook (AFO) released by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), Utsev reminded the public that 19 local government areas in Niger State—including Mokwa—had been flagged for potential flooding this year.
According to the AFO, over 1,200 communities in 176 LGAs across 33 states and the FCT fall under high flood risk, while another 2,100 are moderately at risk.
Utsev urged state and local governments to heed federal warnings, improve drainage, relocate vulnerable residents, and crack down on illegal developments in flood-prone zones.
