3-year-old dies as rainstorm wrecks homes in Mokwa

A three-year-old girl, identified as Afnan, has died after a rainstorm caused a building collapse in Mokwa, the headquarters of Mokwa Local Government Area in Niger State.

The incident occurred around midnight on Monday when a heavy rainstorm brought down the room where the child was sleeping with her mother and five siblings.

A resident, Galadima Audu, said all seven occupants of the room were trapped under the rubble and later rushed to the hospital.

According to him, the mother sustained severe injuries, including broken legs, while the other children were also seriously injured and are currently receiving treatment.

“The incident happened around 12am. We got to the hospital around 1am.

“There were seven people in the room. We had to remove broken blocks from their bodies,” he said.

He added that the young girl was taken to the hospital alive but died shortly after arrival.

Their father was reportedly away in Kiama at the time, where he works as a labourer.

Several communities were affected by the storm, including Tifi-Maza, Shaba-Lile, Eti-Sheshi, Tako-Wangwa, Kpege, and Efu-Goro.

The Chairman of Mokwa Local Government Area, Jibrin Abdullahi Muregi, confirmed the incident, noting that a full assessment of the damage is still ongoing.

He said the rainstorm destroyed homes and properties worth millions of naira, leaving many residents displaced.