KEY POINTS

• Over 1,000 houses were destroyed by a windstorm in Mokwa and Bida areas of Niger State.
• Several communities across Mokwa, Bida, Lavun, Katcha, Gbako, and Mariga were affected.
• NSEMA has deployed assessment teams as many residents remain displaced after the disaster.

A powerful windstorm has destroyed more than 1,000 houses across several communities in Mokwa and Bida Local Government Areas of Niger State, leaving many residents displaced and counting heavy losses.

The Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) confirmed the windstorm incident on Wednesday, saying emergency assessment teams had already been deployed to affected areas in the Niger South zone to evaluate the level of destruction.

According to the Director-General of NSEMA, Abdullahi Baba Arah, preliminary findings revealed widespread destruction from the windstorm in many parts of Mokwa Local Government Area.

He listed some of the badly affected communities by the windstorm as Sawmill, Kpege Wayata, Kpege, Station Girigi, Efu Shaba Lile, Tifin Madza, Yafu, Etisheshi, Hakimi Aliyu, and Nasfat.

Arah explained that many houses were either completely destroyed or severely damaged after strong winds tore through the communities.

Bida, Other LGAs Also Affected

The agency also disclosed that several communities in Bida Local Government Area were hit by the windstorm.

Affected wards in Bida include Cheniyan, Nasarafu, Bariki, Kyari, Dokoza, Masaga A, and Masaga B.

Arah further noted that similar incidents were recorded in Lavun, Katcha, Gbako, and Mariga Local Government Areas.

He added that more than 100 houses had earlier been destroyed in Durgu Community under Bobi Ward in Mariga LGA.

NSEMA said it has started a rapid assessment exercise to determine the extent of the disaster and identify the urgent needs of affected victims.

The agency noted that many families have been forced out of their homes after rooftops and buildings were badly damaged by the storm.