According to the National Emergency Management Agency, the heavy rains and flooding that have wreaked havoc across the country in recent times have spread 28 states, claiming 175 lives and displacing 207,902 others.
Authorities have been urging residents in flood-prone areas to relocate as the rains persist, following the Nigerian Meteorological Agency’s warnings about the heavy rainfalls, urging preparedness for potential floods.
It was learnt that state governments, in partnership with NEMA, had commenced moves to evacuate residents in flood-prone areas to avert further disaster.
The Director-General of NEMA, Zubaida Umar, further revealed that the agency had activated the National Emergency Operation Centre following the recent flooding.
Umar, who stated this on Wednesday when the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, visited the agency following the recent retreat for chief executives of agencies under the Presidency, noted that the activation of the centre was to streamline disaster response efforts and act as a command centre for resource management and communication.
She said, “The 2024 flooding has affected 28 states across 133 Local Government Areas. The flood has displaced 207,902 persons, affected 526,703 persons, affected 79,138 houses, 1,971 injuries sustained, 106,178 hectares of farmlands affected and 175 lives have been lost.”
She said the agency had carried out disaster assessments in almost all the states, including Ogun, Rivers, Imo, Lagos, Ekiti, Edo and Kwara, for various incidents.
“The most recent for flood assessment are in Zamfara, Katsina, Jigawa, Adamawa, Sokoto, Bauchi, Taraba, Kebbi, Kano, Benue, and Kogi,” she added.
She highlighted that the agency had coordinated response to 158 emergencies, aided 118,337 individuals, rescued 4,706, and reported 1,414 fatalities.
Presidential Response
- President Bola Tinubu expressed deep sympathy for the flood victims and emphasized the need for a coordinated effort to address environmental concerns and build a climate-resilient society. The President assured Nigerians that his administration would provide necessary support to the victims and issue timely warnings to mitigate the impact of environmental disasters.
- Femi Gbajabiamila (Chief of Staff to the President), during his visit to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Gbajabiamila stressed the importance of disaster prevention, urging NEMA to focus not only on mitigating disasters but also on preventing them.
- Ajuri Ngelale (Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, issued a statement on behalf of the President, reinforcing the government’s commitment to supporting flood victims and emphasizing the importance of early warnings to reduce the impact of environmental disasters.
State Government Responses
- Jigawa State: Governor Umar Namadi reported that 23 out of 27 Local Government Areas were affected by floods, leading to the displacement of about 8,000 people. The state government has undertaken the planting of 5.5 million trees to mitigate future flooding.
- Kano State: The state’s Emergency Management Agency is compiling a list of flood victims from affected LGAs and is coordinating relief efforts.
- Kogi State: The state government has activated 42 IDP camps in preparation for potential flooding and is monitoring the River Niger closely.
- Katsina State: Severe flooding affected 11 LGAs, and the state government is mobilizing relief materials after assessing the extent of damage and casualties.
- Nasarawa State: The Federal Government earmarked N3 billion in intervention funds to tackle flooding. Governor Abdullahi Sule called for the establishment of a special committee to ensure the proper use of the funds.
- Borno State: The state government, through its Emergency Management Agency, confirmed that 54 communities across 13 LGAs were affected by flooding, with ongoing efforts to mitigate the impact.
- Plateau State: The state faced a lack of rainfall, causing concern among farmers. The state’s Emergency Management Agency acknowledged the situation but noted that the drought was beyond their control.
- Niger State: The state government has been in constant communication with the Ministry of Environment and SEMA, ensuring that measures are in place to protect residents against flooding.
- Benue State: The state government is sensitizing residents in flood-prone areas and has provided tokens to those affected earlier in the season. They are on alert for further interventions.
Legislative Response
- House of Representatives: The Chairman of the House Committee on Ecological Funds, Dr. Sani Jaji, led a committee to assess the situation in flood-affected states and promised to work on providing sustainable measures to restore normalcy.
- Speaker Abbas Tajudeen expressed concern over the loss of farmlands due to flooding in the north and called for urgent government intervention to support the victims.
The flooding is not just from river overflow but also from heavy rainfall within the country, exacerbated by rising sea levels. The situation is compounded by the global phenomenon of unpredictable weather patterns, affecting rainfall and contributing to droughts in some areas, like Plateau State.
The federal and state governments, along with NEMA, continue to coordinate efforts to manage the crisis, prevent further disasters, and support affected communities.
