Nigeria: How Erosion Havoc Destroys Homes, Farmlands in Kano Community

What the report says

Premium Times reported from Mesar Tudu, a farming community in Gezawa Local Government Area of Kano State, where residents say years of erosion and flood runoff have been destroying homes, farmland and livelihoods. In the Sept. 3, 2026 investigation, villagers described how rainwater flowing from nearby settlements has carved gullies through sandy ground, making the area difficult to access during the rainy season and leaving some homes at risk of collapse.

The report centered on several affected residents, including an elderly farmer who said he lost a long-cultivated farm and now rents land elsewhere to survive. Other families told Premium Times they had been displaced after erosion took rooms or entire houses, while some children and adults have faced danger from deep pits near homes. Women interviewed said the damage also disrupts small businesses and creates safety fears whenever rainfall begins.

Community members said the crisis has persisted since a major rain event in 2003 and worsened because the area lacks drainage infrastructure and an earlier dam failed. The community leader told the paper that more than 50 households have been affected and that residents have spent their own money on temporary embankments with limited success. The report said people have repeatedly raised the alarm with authorities, underscoring broader concerns about the gap between climate warnings and on-the-ground response in vulnerable rural areas.