Cameroon Begins Evacuation Of Lagdo Dam Water – FG Alerts

Lagdo-Dam

The federal government has placed numerous states on high alert against possible flooding, with Cameroon starting to release Lagdo Dam water.

The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) issued the alert to states on the bank of River Benue following the release of water, which began yesterday

The states are Adamawa, Taraba, Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, Edo, Delta, Anambra, Bayelsa, Cross River and Rivers.

In the past, the release of water from the dam located close to the Nigerian border with Cameroon had led to massive flooding in some states.

However, NIHSA said yesterday that the release of water this time is being controlled to prevent likely flooding.

“Following an official communication from the dam’s management, the water release will gradually increase over the next seven days,” NIHSA’s Director-General Umar Mohammed said in a statement.

He added that the “initial release rate was 100 cubic meters per second (approximately 8.64 million cubic meters per day) starting September 17, 2024 (yesterday), with a potential increase to 1,000 cubic meters per second.’’

Mohammed said the final rate would depend on inflows from the upstream Garoua River, the primary source of the reservoir, which also feeds into the Benue River, a key waterway in Nigeria.

“The release will be regulated to ensure that water levels do not exceed the capacity of the Benue River system, preventing major flooding in downstream areas of Nigeria,” he added.

The NIHSA boss reassured the public that measures are in place to control the flow and reduce flooding risk, with the release stopping once inflows to the Lagdo reservoir are manageable.

He emphasised that there is no immediate cause for alarm, as water levels along the Benue River remained within safe limits.

Unexpected release of water from the dam had in the past years caused heavy flooding in many states in Nigeria, especially those close to the Benue River.

The worst was in 2012, when houses were submerged in Makurdi, Benue State, and parts of Adamawa State.

Ten lives were lost and properties worth millions of dollars were destroyed.

No fewer than 250,000 residents of nine Kogi State communities face displacement by floods in the coming days, the state government raised the alarm yesterday.

Also, Benue State Emergency Management Agency (Benue-SEMA) admonished persons living within a one-kilometer radius of riverbanks to relocate immediately.

Kogi State Commissioner for Environment and Ecological Management, Joseph Oluwasegun, said the government had taken proactive measures to ensure that the impending floods did not lead to disaster.

Oluwasegun spoke at a meeting with stakeholders in Lokoja that 42 internally displaced persons (IDP) camps had been established across eight local government areas of the state, with emphasis on the nine flood-prone communities.

The commissioner, who did not name the nine communities, explained that the meeting was called to fashion out preparations for the 2024 flood prediction by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET).

Oluwasegun called for a unified response to the impending flood threat, highlighting the need for seamless collaboration among stakeholders.

Executive Secretary, Kogi State Emergency Management Agency (KOSEMA), Mouktar Atimah, said an Emergency Operation Center would be established for effective coordination and response to flood situations.

In Makurdi, Executive Secretary of Benue-SEMA, James Iorpuu, said the advisory to people living in flood-prone areas followed ‘’critical weather’’ updates by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA).

The agencies predicted a five-day period of heavy rainfall that would subside Friday.

According to Iorpuu, the areas most at risk are Udoma, Ugbokpo, Ukgbokolo, Ukpiam, Otobi, Otukpo, Mbapa, Makurdi, Gbajimba, Logo, and Abinsi.

He added that camps have already been set up to accommodate those who might be affected.

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has begun the construction of six temporary shelters for those who might be impacted by flooding in Bayelsa, Delta, and Rivers states.

Samuel Ogbuku, managing director of the commission, who made this known to reporters in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, yesterday, said that the shelters were conceived as a response to the frequent flood challenges faced by communities in the Niger Delta.

He explained that facilities at each of the shelters would include a school, hospital, cafeteria, police post, and recreation centre.

The NDDC boss said: “We have six of these facilities currently under construction in Otuokpoti and Odi, in Bayelsa State, while the ones in Delta State are being built in Patani and Ozorro and another two in Rivers State.”

Ogbuku added that the commission would intensify its efforts to light up communities across the nine states of the Niger Delta through solar as part of measures to fight criminality and maintain peace in the region.

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has donated relief materials to 800 households recently affected by floods and windstorms in Ikara/Kubau Local Government Areas of Kaduna State.

Malam Imam Garki, North-West Zonal Coordinator of NEMA, presented the items to Aliyu Abdullahi, a member representing Ikara/Kubau Constituency in the House of Representatives, for distribution to the affected victims.

Garki said the Federal Government approved the relief items for the affected households.

He said the communities had experienced severe flooding, following heavy rains and windstorms in June, which affected about 4,800 persons, resulting in four fatalities.