Devastating Flood Wipes Out Rice Farms in Kebbi, Farmers Cry for Urgent Government Intervention

A massive flood has devastated hundreds of rice farms in Yauri, Ngaski, and Shanga Local Government Areas of Kebbi State, leaving farmers in anguish as their farmlands, worth millions of naira, were completely submerged. The flooding, caused by the overflow of the River Niger and heavy rainfall, has ruined vast rice plantations, shattering the hopes of a bumper harvest.

One of the affected farmers, Malam Usman Dankwairo, described the incident as “heartbreaking and unprecedented,” stating that many farmers may never recover unless urgent assistance is provided. “The river overflowed first, and the rains finished what was left. Everything we owned is gone,” he lamented, calling on political leaders to go beyond sympathy and deliver tangible support.

Yauri, Ngaski, and Shanga are major rice-producing hubs in Kebbi, playing a key role in Nigeria’s rice output under the state’s well-known “Lake Rice” initiative. With the farmlands now underwater, the livelihoods of numerous farming families are in danger, and the state’s food production capacity faces a critical blow.

Community leaders and stakeholders have urged the State Emergency Management Agency and other authorities to immediately provide relief and devise a recovery plan. They warned that if the situation remains unaddressed, it could trigger widespread hunger and economic strain. Meanwhile, local officials have commenced damage assessments to determine the scope of the necessary intervention.