Kogi, Kwara and Niger States have unveiled their plans to prevent the loss of lives and property during this year’s rainy season, following alerts issued by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
In Lokoja, Muktar Atimah, the executive secretary of the Kogi Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday that the state had developed a comprehensive flood preparedness plan.
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According to Mr Atimah, the measures include collaboration between SEMA and NEMA to enhance staff capacity through workshops and seminars, the establishment of an emergency response framework, and the setting up of departments for search and rescue, Information Communication Technology (ICT), disaster risk reduction, and logistics coordination.
“We have also launched community sensitisation campaigns involving traditional rulers, religious and community leaders, as well as youth and women groups,” he said.
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Mr Atimah also said the agency had embarked on a media campaign in Hausa and three other indigenous languages on the need to clear drainage.
“We have also created a temporary warehouse for stockpiling relief materials, and partnered with NGOs like the Red Cross, UN-International Organisation for Migration (IOM), and African Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), amongst others.”
He said the agency was engaging with the Nigeria Inland Waterways (NIWA) to promote waterway safety.
He added that post-flood rehabilitation plans were underway to empower displaced persons after the rainy season.
On his part, Zakari Abubakar, the head of NEMA’s Abuja Operations Office, said the agency was collaborating with the Kogi government on proactive disaster management.
Mr Abubakar noted that in July, NEMA assessed flood damage in Lokoja and Kabba and was working to facilitate the release of relief materials.
“Plans are ongoing to establish emergency operation centres across all 21 local government areas to ensure efficient and transparent distribution of palliatives,” he said.
Abdullahi Abubakar, the acting secretary of the Nigerian Red Cross Society (NRCS) in Kogi, revealed that the European Humanitarian Aid (EHA) and the EU were partnering with the NRCS to provide integrated flood response interventions through the IFRC and Red Crescent Societies.
He urged residents in flood-prone areas to heed early warnings and relocate to safer grounds. “The flood will come, as predicted by NiMet, and prevention is always better than cure,” he warned.
Nasarawa: Residents fleeing high-risk areas
In Nasarawa State, residents of flood-prone communities in Awe, Doma, Nasarawa, and Toto LGAs have started relocating from high-risk areas.
Benjamin Akwash, the director general of the Nasarawa State Emergency Management Agency (NASEMA), told NAN in Lafia that the movement resulted from the agency’s intensive early warning sensitisation campaign.
He said the campaign reached riverine communities such as Tunga (Awe), Loko (Nasarawa), Umaisha (Toto), and Doma town, and involved palace visits, local radio messages, and collaboration with disaster-response ministries, departments and agencies.
“Upon assuming office, I made flood prevention and mitigation my top priority, and our efforts are yielding results,” Mr Akwash said.
He commended residents who have relocated and urged others yet to do so.
He also revealed collaboration with local government councils to identify safe corridors and highlands for potential relocation.
Mr Akwash said the state government had activated emergency kits, including speed boats, canoes, and rain gear, and was working closely with disaster-line MDAs for efficient search and rescue operations if needed.
Niger monitoring flood-prone areas
In Niger State, NSEMA and NEMA have intensified flood preparedness efforts.
The Executive Secretary of NSEMA, Ibrahim Hussaini, said the agency has held stakeholder engagements, sensitisation visits to traditional institutions, and town hall meetings.
“Currently, we are running continuous public enlightenment campaigns across the state, and the agency is also monitoring flood-prone areas and identifying high grounds for emergency relocation,” he said.
Mr Hussaini noted that although only flash flooding had been reported so far, rising water levels and increasing rainfall were being closely watched.
He said the agency was working with the State Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and the IDPs Agency to manage potential displacement and camp operations.
Similarly, Hussaini Isah, NEMA’s head of operations for Niger and Kwara States, emphasised the importance of translating flood preparedness messages into local dialects.
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He underscored the need for early warning systems, evacuation to higher ground, and provision of shelter and relief items.
He also mentioned that NEMA was advising farmers on improved seeds and optimal planting and harvesting times to minimise agricultural losses.
Mr Isah confirmed that relief materials were being stockpiled, and safe locations for possible IDP camps were being identified in anticipation of displacement.
“By taking proactive measures, we can strengthen community resilience and minimise the impact of flooding,” he said.
(NAN)
