By Fatima Saka
Each rainy season, climate change continues to reshape the landscape, bringing devastation in its wake. In 2025, the story may remains the same heavy downpours, mass displacement, and a rise in untold cases of sexual violence and other abuses.
Investigations reveal that 90% of sexual violence survivors during floods are minors. As families are forced from their homes, young girls become vulnerable to molestation, and other dangers. This is the reality in many flood-prone areas like Adamawa, Yola, and across the Lake Chad region.
Among the many tragic cases is that of Fatima, a five-year-old girl whose life was irreversibly changed by both climate disaster and human cruelty.
A Night of Rain, A Lifetime of Trauma
It was late in the evening on Friday, August 23, 2019. The sky was dense with dark clouds, bringing hours of relentless rainfall in Adamawa, Yola State. As floodwaters rose, families scrambled for safety.
When the rain subsided, Fatima, a 5-year-old girl, was found lying lifeless in the flood.
The flood had submerged six wards in Yola North Local Government Area, displacing thousands, including Fatima. Her uncle, Muhammed, discovered her in a barbershop at around 5:00 p.m. To his horror, he realized that she had been sexually assaulted. He carried her home in shock, attempting to clean her up.
But the damage was severe. Fatima was heavily bleeding and unconscious. She was rushed to Adamawa Hope Centre and later referred to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Yola, where a team of specialists fought to save her life.
“Her injuries were beyond what we could handle,” said Dr. Endurance Oku, a doctor at the Specialist Hospital, Yola. “Even at FMC, multiple surgeries were required to repair the damage.”
Fatima spent months in the hospital, enduring four major surgeries. She then spent two years in an orphanage, undergoing psychological therapy to heal from the trauma.
The Perpetrator: A Tragic Justice
Investigations revealed that Fatima was raped by Abbati Musa, a 19-year-old cultist from the notorious Shilla gang. Shockingly, Abbati was previously reported to have engaged in bestiality.
Following his arrest, he was sent to a rehabilitation center, where he later died after several years in detention.
Fatima, now 10 years old, lives in a government orphanage home in Yola but has reunited with her family in Lagos. She is back in school, currently in Primary Four.
Her mother, Bilikisu Ayuba, remains haunted by guilt.
“I regret taking my daughter away from my side,” she said, sobbing. “For five years, I have lived with the trauma of her assault.”
Her father, Ayuba Dan Sokoto, expressed gratitude for those who supported Fatima during her recovery. “I just hope this does not affect her future,” he said.
A Pattern of Abuse: Climate Change and Rising Sexual Violence
Fatima’s case is not isolated. Climate-induced displacement has led to a rise in sexual violence across flood-affected areas.
Statistics from the Adamawa Hope Centre reveal a disturbing trend:
2018: 41 rape cases
2019: 189 rape cases
2020: 189 rape cases
2021: 179 rape cases
2022: 149 rape cases
2023 (Jan-Sept): 59 rape cases
Total: 806 recorded rape cases since the centre’s inception in March 2018.
Investigations reveal that floods and displacement increase rape cases, with minors making up 90% of the victims.
Among them:
Aishatu Garba (16), raped by her neighbor after a devastating flood in August 2023.
A 13-year-old girl, raped by a 94-year-old man during the same period.
These cases highlight the increased vulnerability of children during climate disasters.
Psychological Trauma: Expert Insights
The long-term effects of rape on children are devastating, according to Dr. Yemi Illori, a Senior Lecturer at Bamidele Olumilua University.
“Victims often develop phobias, PTSD, and emotional instability,” he said. “Without professional therapy, these traumas remain for life.”
Dr. Clement Ayuba, a gynecologist at Federal Medical Centre Yola, emphasized the reproductive health risks.
“If not properly repaired, injuries can cause permanent damage and affect future pregnancies,” he explained.
Flooding and Child Deaths: A Growing Crisis
In Damilu, a flood-prone ward in Yola North, flooding has killed over 10 children yearly.
Residents like Ibrahim Lainus lament the lack of government intervention.
“The government comes to sympathize, but nothing changes,” he said. “Children keep dying from malaria, diarrhea, and drowning.”
In Rugange, a fishing community along Njuwa Lake, over 403 children have died from flooding and canoe accidents.
In September 2023, a canoe carrying 10 people capsized in the lake, killing seven children.
“We could only rescue three,” said the Village Head, Homon Obed Dan Iya Chadiyo. “We need life jackets and boats to prevent more deaths.”
Despite repeated tragedies, residents refuse to relocate due to economic dependence on fishing and farming.
Government and International Reports: A Wake-Up Call
In 2022, floods killed 662 people in Nigeria, displacing 2.5 million.
Over 15,000 people died from climate-induced floods in Africa in 2023. (NEMA Report)
UNICEF reports that Nigeria ranks second in the world for child vulnerability to climate change.
WMO (World Meteorological Organization) estimates 2 million climate-related deaths in Nigeria over 50 years.
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Talented Young Men and Women: The Future of Nigeria
Experts warn that without proactive action, flooding will continue to fuel violence, displacement, and death.
Dr. Nnimmo Bassey, Director of Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), called for urgent government intervention.
“Flooding makes children vulnerable to predators,” he said. “Displacement camps must be safe and monitored.”
Call for Action
The link between climate change and sexual violence is undeniable. As floods worsen, so does the danger faced by children.
Victims like Fatima are a painful reminder of the human cost of climate inaction.
The question remains: How many more children must suffer before real change happens?
Final Thoughts
This investigative report highlights the hidden crisis of climate-induced violence. Floods do not just destroy homes they shatter childhoods, steal futures, and claim lives.
For Fatima and the 806 girls like her, justice must not be just a story, it must be a reality.
