* Says 28 persons dead, 159,000 displaced
* Croplands and valuable infrastructure are at risk of getting washed away by the flood waters
* Orders activation of all emergency response as the flooding will be increasing as the days go by
By Nudoiba Ojen
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has alerted the nation of imminent flooding from River Benue line as the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon has been spilling water since October 1, 2023.
NEMA Director-General, Mustapha Ahmed, said Adamawa State, which is one of the states on the River Benue line is currently being devastated as 159,157 persons have been affected while 48,168 persons were displaced and currently in different camps.
No fewer than 28 people were said to have been killed.
Ahmed said that some states including Adamawa, Benue, Taraba, Kogi, Delta, Edo, Anambra, Enugu, Edo, Delta, Rivers, Nasarawa and Bayelsa are currently being affected by the flood.
The NEMA boss, who spoke at an emergency meeting with stakeholders in Abuja on Saturday, directed the activation of all emergency response units to be ready for any emergencies as the flooding will be increasing as the days go by.
He said: “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 Niger 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.
“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.”
