Disasters that rocked Nigeria in 2023

Some of the disasters that rocked Nigeria in 2023 are:

1. Flooding: According to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), at least 33,983 persons were affected by flooding in 2023, with 10 states experiencing cases of flooding.

The Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET) and the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) had predicted that at least 32 states were at high risk of flooding in 2023.

Flooding also threatened the food security of about 25 million Nigerians who risked severe hunger due to the destruction of farmlands and crops.

2. Oil spill: On April 15, 2023, a ruptured pipeline belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) spilled crude oil into the Niger Delta region, causing environmental damage and health hazards for the local communities.

The spill was estimated to have affected over 200,000 people and polluted more than 1,000 hectares of land and water.

3. Terrorist attacks: Nigeria continued to face the threat of terrorism from various groups, such as Boko Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), and bandits.

Some of the notable attacks in 2023 were:

The February 14 suicide bombing at a church in Maiduguri, Borno State, that killed 22 people and injured 45 others.

The March 23 abduction of 39 students from the Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation in Kaduna State by armed bandits.

The May 18 attack on a military base in Mainok, Borno State, by ISWAP militants, that resulted in the death of 42 soldiers and the capture of 15 others.

The July 7 massacre of 65 farmers in Zabarmari, Borno State, by Boko Haram insurgents, who accused them of cooperating with the Nigerian Army.

The September 11 raid on a prison in Kogi State by unknown gunmen, who freed 240 inmates and killed 14 security personnel.

4. Lassa fever outbreak: Nigeria recorded a total of 1,447 confirmed cases of Lassa fever in 2023, with 293 deaths and a case fatality rate of 20.2 percent.

The outbreak affected 27 states and the FCT, with Edo, Ondo and Ebonyi states accounting for 81 percent of the cases.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) declared the outbreak over on May 9, 2023, after four consecutive weeks of no new cases.

5. Building collapse: Nigeria witnessed several cases of building collapse in 2023, resulting in loss of lives and properties.

Some of the notable incidents were:

The January 3 collapse of a three-storey building in Ebute Metta, Lagos State, that killed eight people and injured 15 others.

The February 17 collapse of a seven-storey hotel under construction in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, that trapped over 100 workers and killed at least 15 people.

The April 24 collapse of a four-storey building in Owerri, Imo State, that killed four people and injured six others.

The June 28 collapse of a 21-storey building in Ikoyi, Lagos State, that killed 36 people and injured 22 others.

6. Road accidents: Nigeria recorded a total of 9,741 road crashes in 2023, involving 15,562 vehicles and resulting in 5,427 deaths and 30,551 injuries.

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) attributed the causes of the crashes to human errors, such as speeding, overloading, drunk driving, and use of phones while driving.

Some of the major accidents in 2023 were:

The January 13 collision of two buses along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, that killed 36 people and injured 41 others.

The March 21 explosion of a petrol tanker in Abeokuta, Ogun State, that killed 23 people and injured 34 others.

The May 26 head-on collision of a truck and a bus in Kano State, that killed 25 people and injured 12 others.

The August 9 crash of a bus into a river in Akaeze, Ebonyi State, that killed 32 people and injured 14 others.

7. The bombing of Eid-el-Maulud celebrants in Kaduna State

Tudun Biri, Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State in early December.




FI