VICTIMS of the tragic flood that devastated Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State have petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) over the alleged diversion of relief materials and funds meant for those affected by the disaster.
The petition, dated June 26, 2026 obtained by News Point Nigeria, was submitted to both the ICPC and EFCC by I.U. Wali Law Firm on behalf of Isah Abubakar, Hussaini Umar Kwangila, Bilyaminu Umar, and all residents of Mokwa LGA.
On May 29, 2025, a devastating flood wreaked havoc in Mokwa, displacing 3,018 residents and claiming the lives of 200 people.
Days after the tragedy, Vice-President Kashim Shettima announced that the Federal Government had donated N2 billion and 20 trucks of grains to the affected communities.
Following the disaster, individuals and organisations also announced donations of cash and relief materials to support the affected communities.
However, in their petition to the anti-graft agencies, the residents said numerous donations were made by governments and non-governmental organisations to provide succour to victims after the tragic incident, but alleged that those entrusted with distributing the donated relief materials and funds mismanaged them at the expense of the flood victims.
The petitioners further alleged that more than one year after the incident, the donated funds and relief materials had not been utilised effectively for the benefit of the victims.
They specifically accused the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) of inserting the names of its staff members into the list of flood victims meant to benefit from the cash palliative.
According to the petition, some genuine victims were allegedly deprived of what they were entitled to receive, while others received nothing at all.
“Some of the victims were shortchanged as opposed to what they should receive, and some of the victims did not receive anything at all,” the petition reads.
The petition further stated:
“In fact, some persons who benefited from the relief items were not victims of the flood incident, while some are not residents or natives of Mokwa town. In summary, the donations have been marred by corrupt practices.
“The Niger State Emergency Management Agency compiled a list of flood victims for the distribution of money into their bank accounts.
“The list, which emanated from NSEMA, which is available in the public domain, contains the names of persons that were not affected or victims of the Mokwa flood.
“So, in essence, some people that aren’t affected by the Mokwa flood were listed among those to be compensated, while some victims were not included.”
The petitioners, therefore, urged the ICPC and EFCC to investigate officials of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, Mokwa Local Government Area, the local organising committee, and other individuals involved in the handling and management of the donated funds and relief materials.
They also called on the anti-graft agencies to scrutinise the list of beneficiaries to identify anomalies, recover any diverted funds and relief materials, and ensure that those responsible are held accountable.