Flood ravages Kebbi Rice Farms, Farmers cry out for urgent intervention

Hundreds of rice farmers across Yauri, Ngaski, and Shanga Local Government Areas of Kebbi State have been left devastated after massive floods swept through farmlands worth millions of naira.

The disaster, triggered by heavy rainfall and the overflow of the River Niger, submerged vast hectares of rice fields, shattering the hopes of farmers who had invested heavily in anticipation of a bumper harvest.

One of the affected farmers, Malam Usman Dankwairo, described the incident as “unprecedented and heartbreaking,” stressing that many farmers may never recover without swift government intervention.

“The water from the River Niger first took over our farms, and then the rains compounded the situation, sweeping everything away,” Dankwairo told our correspondent. “We have already lost everything. For the farmers of Shanga, Yauri, and Ngaski, all I can say is may God intervene in our situation.”

He added that sympathy visits would not ease their plight, calling on political leaders to provide real support. “Some of us used to harvest more than 100 bags of rice, but now we have nothing left. This is not about coming to sympathize with us; we need real support. Some of us invested all our savings into these farms. Please, Governor, your people are in desperate need of help,” he pleaded.

Yauri, Ngaski, and Shanga are among the leading rice-producing areas in Kebbi, playing a key role in Nigeria’s rice supply through the state’s “Lake Rice” initiative. However, with large portions of farmland now submerged, both the livelihoods of farming families and the state’s food security face serious threats.

Community leaders have also appealed to the State Emergency Management Agency and other authorities to provide immediate relief materials and long-term recovery plans, warning that the disaster could trigger hunger and economic hardship in the coming months if ignored.

Meanwhile, local officials confirmed that assessments were ongoing to determine the scale of damage and the level of intervention required.