The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has issued a warning regarding the potential for flooding in several Nigerian states. This alert comes in response to the release of water from the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon.
During a recent meeting of the National Emergency Coordination Forum in Abuja, Mr. Mustapha Ahmed, the Director-General of NEMA, provided this information. The states at risk include Adamawa, Taraba, Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, Anambra, Enugu, Edo, Delta, Rivers, and Bayelsa, all of which are situated downstream from the dam.
In light of this impending threat, it is imperative that the affected states take immediate and coordinated action to address and minimize the potential impact of the forthcoming floods.
According to him, the meeting was necessitated by the notification received from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the modulated release of water from Lagdo Dam in Cameroon.
He said that the country had commenced release of water from the Dam at the rate of 200 cubic meters per second which is about 18 million cubic meter of water per day.
He said that the release may result in all frontline states experiencing flooding in subsequent days and weeks.
“The states on downstream of River Benue are Adamawa, Taraba, Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, Anambra, Enugu, Edo, Delta, Rivers and Bayelsa.
“Information available from the flow level of the River Benue at Nigerian Hydrological Service Agency (NIHSA) gauging station at Makurdi stood at 8.97 meters as of Aug. 25, 2023, compared to 8.80 meters on the same date in 2022.
“Also, NIHSA has provided that the flow level of River Niger system, especially at Niamey, Niger Republic, remains stable at a normal level of 4.30 meters.
“Similarly, inland dams including Kainji, Jebba and Shiroro reported consistent flow regimes,” he said.
The director-general added that immediate evacuation of Nigerians from various communities to safer destinations should be carried out by all stakeholders to mitigate possible flood disasters this year.
