N-HYPPADEC urges people living along riverbanks to relocate
Water levels along critical stations in the River Benue basin have surged to alarming heights, according to the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA).
Consequently, the National Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (N-HYPPADEC) has warned people living along riverbanks in Kogi State to relocate to high grounds to avoid the devastating impact of the impending flood as predicted by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet).
The agency said as of Saturday, September 21, the levels recorded were 6.3 metres at Wuro Boki, 5.04 metres at Jimeta Bridge, 8.2 metres at IBBI, 9.4 metres at Makurdi and 8.68 metres at Lokoja.
With the figures nearing dangerous thresholds, NIHSA urged states previously identified as high-risk flood zones to take immediate action. The agency called for urgent implementation of containment measures or the preparation for possible water conveyance as part of flood management efforts.
“Given the steady increase in water levels, proactive measures must be immediately put in place to mitigate the impacts of flooding,” NIHSA warned in its statement yesterday.
It stressed that failure to act could result in severe flooding, endangering lives, property and infrastructure. This alert followed weeks of heavy rainfall and heightened concerns over potential overflow from the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon, which could exacerbate flood risks in Nigeria.
Earlier advisories showed regions within the Benue and Niger River basins as particularly vulnerable to flooding. Communities along riverbanks and other flood-prone areas were urged to remain vigilant and adhere to safety guidelines issued by state emergency services.
The flooding risk is a yearly challenge for many Nigerian states, particularly during the rainy season, and has been worsened by climate change. NIHSA continues to monitor river conditions closely and has promised timely updates as the situation evolves.
Federal and state authorities are again encouraged to coordinate efforts to reduce the impact of potential flooding on affected communities.
THE Managing Director of N-HYPPADEC, Abubakar Yelwa, gave the warning on Saturday during a sensitisation campaign he took to the palace of Ata Igala and Eje-Ibaji in Idah Local Council of the state, seeking their support to move people living along the riverbanks to high grounds.
Yelwa, who described the flood as a natural disaster that nobody could stop, said the menace could only be managed to reduce high devastation as witnessed in 2022 in Kogi and other states.
“We are at the forefront of giving early warning to all N-HYPPADEC communities. We have been sensitising and calling on the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency because of the warning we received from NiMet and the signs of flooding we have seen or heard from the locals.”
“The situation is alarming and scary that is why the commission is calling on members of N-HYPPADEC communities to be wary of the situation and to be on the alert because flooding can occur even at night,” he said.
In his remarks, the Eje Ibaji, HRH John Egwemi, commended N-HYPPADEC for the assistance it had been rendering to his communities, which are often ravaged by perennial flooding and solicited for construction of a road from Idah to Ibaji, noting that from June to December every year, the people of Ibaji could not have access to their communities due to lack of roads.
Also, the Permanent Secretary, Kogi State Ministry of Water Resources, Omakoju Alhassan, expressed confidence that from the analysis given on the moribund Idah water works and the proposed intervention of the commission in synergy with the state government, the waterworks would be brought back to standard to end water scarcity in the ancient town.