A violent windstorm has struck Sokoto State, killing five people and leaving thousands homeless after sweeping through Gwadabawa and Kware Local Government Areas earlier this week. The storm caused widespread destruction, with more than 1,400 homes damaged and public buildings, including schools and government offices, left in ruins.
Emergency officials from both the Sokoto State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) visited affected areas on Saturday to assess the damage. Preliminary figures show that Gwadabawa suffered the worst hit, recording 878 damaged houses and 1,306 affected households. Around 7,836 people have been displaced, and eleven were injured.
Among the five who died in the Marabawa community were two young children—an 18-month-old and a 3-year-old—belonging to Mansur Salihu Talhi, a resident of the area.
In Kware, the storm damaged 523 homes and affected 1,403 households. Eighteen people sustained injuries, with several needing urgent treatment. Government Secondary School Kware was among the structures heavily impacted, with broken fences and damaged classrooms. One of the worst-hit locations was Kofar-Barga, where resident Ahmad Abbas lost his entire home. In the 30-Quarters area, nearly 100 houses were damaged.
Local leaders and agency representatives, including Deputy Project Manager Shehu Muhammad, Councillor Siba Sodangi, elder Adamu Abdullahi Talhi, and SEMA Desk Officer Nafi’u Bello, joined the on-ground inspection.
SEMA has started documenting affected households for possible relief support, with plans to forward the report to both state and federal authorities. The agency said the data would help fast-track humanitarian assistance. As displaced families struggle to cope, some local support efforts are already underway while they await further help.
