The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Joseph Utsev, has clarified that the recent flooding and fatalities in Mokwa, Niger State, were not caused by any release of water from the Kainji and Jebba Dams.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, the Minister stated that the flooding was due to heavy rainfall driven by extreme weather conditions linked to climate change. He explained that the deluge overwhelmed the local drainage systems in the area.
Utsev further noted that the situation was worsened by the public’s failure to heed flood warnings and by unregulated construction activities. He explained that these developments obstructed the flow of an ephemeral tributary of River Dingi, a seasonal stream that only flows during rainfall and feeds into the River Niger.
