By Oluwatosin Maliki
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has issued a warning over the threat of Imminent flooding along the River Niger and River Benue Basin, as a result of the release of water coming from the Lagdo Dam in the Republic of Cameroon.
Mustapha Ahmed, the Director General of NEMA, alerted Nigerians over the impending flood in a media briefing on Saturday in Abuja.
Ahmed reported that states such as Adamawa, Taraba, and Benue were already feeling the impact of the huge flooding, due to the release of water from Lagdo Dam, adding that Nasarawa, Anambra, Edo, Delta, and Bayelsa should be on the watch.
Furthermore, the agency warned states along the River Benue and River Niger Basin to urgently activate their emergency response plans, also warning states in the basin that they might also experience flooding, which is expected to last till October.
Ahmed explained that the recent release of water had led to the loss of lives and displacement of communities, which could potentially lead to further destruction of crops and other infrastructure.
The agency stated, “NEMA has been alerted on sudden increased inundation of riverine communities and farmlands along the banks of River Niger in Adamawa, Taraba and Benue states in the past 48 hours”.
“The sudden situation is attributed to the rapid release of water from Lagdo fam in the Republic of Cameroon and has resulted in the displacement of several inhabitants of the affected communities”.