Audio By Carbonatix
Floods have destroyed more than 1,500 graves at a cemetery in the central Nigerian town of Mariga in Niger state.
More than 500 graves have been swept away by the floods in the past week alone.
The chief imam of the town, Alhassan Musa Na’ibi, told the BBC about 1,000 decomposed bodies had been reburied.
The floods followed days of torrential rains in the area.
The imam said the cemetery had never experienced such devastation since its establishment 500 years ago.
The cemetery is located near a river.
Residents say recent gold mining activities near the cemetery have also made it vulnerable – as the ground became weakened.
Nigeria is experiencing its worst wave of flooding in a decade – affecting 29 of its 36 states.
Since the end of July, more than 300 people have been killed and more than 100,000 others displaced from their communities.
Bridges and large swathes of farms have also been destroyed.
The authorities say more floods are expected in the coming weeks as torrential rains continue.
Latest Stories
-
Education Minister backs move to elevate Ohawu Agricultural College into university
12 minutes -
Mahama urges African youth to lead continent’s next chapter through innovation and integrity
30 minutes -
Four rescued after minibus crashes near GRA office at Circle
40 minutes -
Police investigate deaths of two women found in Tamale hotel, IGP deploys special team
42 minutes -
Youth Ministry partners DTI to build industry-ready workforce for Ghana
44 minutes -
Mahama calls for right of return for global African family
50 minutes -
Supporting breastfeeding starts with the family: why fathers matter
52 minutes -
Mahama praises Jamaica’s Hurricane Melissa recovery, cites Ghana’s Pan-African solidarity
53 minutes -
Police investigate deaths of two Beninese women found in Tamale hotel room
55 minutes -
Freedom is never a gift; it must be earned – Mahama
56 minutes -
Mahama calls for stronger African Union-Caribbean cooperation and global governance reforms
1 hour -
GACL sacks two airport car park workers over passenger extortion
1 hour -
GNAPS calls for transparent standards-based BECE grading instead of norm-referenced assessment
1 hour -
Mahama calls transatlantic slave trade humanity’s gravest crime, urges reparatory justice during Jamaica visit
1 hour -
Ato Forson celebrates Omane Boamah’s legacy of integrity and selfless service
1 hour