Nigeria: Nine-Hour Rainfall Flooded Our Homes in Benue - Victims

What the report says

Residents in Makurdi, the Benue State capital in north-central Nigeria, described widespread flooding after a nine-hour rainfall on Monday, according to a report published by Leadership and distributed by AllAfrica. The downpour reportedly affected several neighborhoods, including Achusa, Wadata, Wurukum, Logo, Ankpa Quarters and North Bank, leaving some households stranded and trying to salvage belongings.

Two residents quoted in the report said water entered their homes overnight and damaged items such as mattresses, books and clothing. One victim in Logo said he woke to find his rented apartment inundated, while another in Wurukum said his compound was submerged. Despite the damage, the second resident said no lives were lost in his case.

The Benue State Emergency Management Agency, through its information officer, confirmed that the incident occurred but said the situation varied by location: in some areas, water entered homes, while in parts of Achusa houses were submerged. The agency also said it had issued warnings to people living in flood-prone areas to move out and planned to assess the affected communities the following day.

The report noted an unconfirmed claim that a 10-year-old boy died, but that had not been verified by the agency at the time. More broadly, the flooding adds to recurring concerns about rainfall-related displacement and property damage in vulnerable Nigerian communities.