The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has issued a flood alert to Nigerians in nine states, including Adamawa, Anambra, Bayelsa, Benue, Delta, Edo, Kogi, Nasarawa, and Taraba.
The NEMA Director General, Mustapha Ahmed, said this on Saturday while giving his opening remarks at the agency’s National Emergency Coordination Forum meeting held in Abuja.
“Situation reports from Adamawa State confirm the upsurge of flood waters along the flood plains of River Benue,” he said.
“The situation is expected to be replicated in the downstream states of Taraba, Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, Anambra, Edo, Delta and Bayelsa as the River Benue joins River Niger and flows to the Atlantic Ocean through the Niger Delta.”
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The agency gave the warning after receiving an alert on the sudden increased inundation of riparian communities and farmlands along the banks of River Benue in Adamawa, Taraba, and Benue states within 48 hours.
According to Ahmed, the sudden situation is attributed to the rapid release of waters from the Lagdo Dam in the Republic of Cameroon and has resulted in the displacement of several inhabitants of the affected communities.
He added that croplands and valuable infrastructure were at risk of getting washed away by the flood waters.
See the full speech below
OPENING REMARKS BY MUSTAPHA HABIB AHMED, THE DIRECTOR GENERAL NATIONAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY (NEMA) AT THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY COORDINATION FORUM MEETING HELD ON 7TH OCTOBER, 2023 IN ABUJA
Protocols:
Distinguished Partners, Ladies and Gentlemen, members of the press.
It is my pleasure to welcome you all to this very critical Emergency Coordination Forum (ECF) meeting convened to discuss the current flood situation along the River Benue resulting from the on-going release of water from Lagdo Dam in the Republic of Cameroon. Your participation in this important forum, albeit the very short notice is no doubt an indication to our commitment to working together to develop valuable early warning information for dissemination to Nigerians to save lives, safeguard livelihoods and critical national assets and infrastructure. The outcome of our deliberations are also expected to be shared to responsible Agencies and individuals to enable them take the right decisions in line with their statutory mandates.
The update from NEMA is that the Agency has been alerted on sudden increased inundation of riparian communities and farmlands along the banks of River Benue in Adamawa Taraba and Benue states in the past 48 hours The sudden situation is attributed to the rapid release of waters from Lagdo Dam in the Republic of Cameroon and has resulted in the displacement of several inhabitants of the affected communities Furthermore croplands and valuable infrastructure are at risk of getting washed away by the flood waters.
Situation reports from Adamawa State confirms the upsurge of flood waters along the flood plains of River Benue The situation is expected to be replicated in downstream states of Taraba, Benue, Nasarawa Kogi, Anambra, Edo. Delta and Bayelsa as the River Benue joins River Niger and flows to the Atlantic Ocean through the Niger Delta.
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, as a result of the unfolding situation, I want to use this opportunity to alert authorities of State and Local Governments along rivers Niger and Benue basin areas to immediately activate their emergency response plans to avert potential damage and losses that will arise due to inundation of communities by flood waters Furthermore, we are expecting to receive updates from the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) NIMET, NEMA Operations Office in Yola Adamawa state and from State Emergency Agencies of the frontline states to keep on updating you on the situation as it unfolds.
I also wish to update you on the NEMA situation room dashboard, which indicates that this year’s flood scenario has affected 159,157 persons, resulted in the loss of 28 persons and the displacement of 48, 168 individuals in 13 States across Nigeria I want to assure that NEMA will continue working with our distinguished partners and the Press to update Nigerians on the emerging situation.
I thank you very much for finding time to attend this forum despite all your schedules especially during a weekend.
Thank you and God bless.
