While speaking on Channels TV this morning September 19, the NIHSA
Director General, Umar Mohammed, warned Nigerians residing in floodplains to
relocate immediately to safe spaces in anticipation of attendant floods that
annually come with the release of water from the Lagdo Dam.
Mohammed said his Agency met with the authorities in Cameroon and
agreed that water from the Lagdo Dam be released “intermittently” for the River
Benue and River Niger in Nigeria to be able to contain the volume of water to
avoid flooding in 11 states at risk.
“The situation is that water from Cameroon’s Lagdo Dam has been
released already since yesterday (Wednesday) and there is an agreement that the
water should be released in phases,” said Mohammed, who was represented on the
programme by the Agency’s Director of Operations and Hydrology, Femi Bejide.
On Tuesday, the Federal Government alerted Nigerians to the plan
by the Cameroonian authorities to release water from the Lagdo Dam. NIHSA
listed flood-prone states to include Adamawa, Taraba, Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi,
Edo, Delta, Anambra, Bayelsa, Cross Rivers, and Rivers.
The NIHSA boss said for now, there is calm and normalcy and the
water is being regularised from the Lagdo dam, though the currents are rising.
He mentioned that all Nigerians have a role to play in preventing flooding as
the previous release of water from the Lagdo Dam has caused constant flooding
in Nigeria.
“Everybody has their part to play; as the Federal Government is
doing its part, our agency is doing its part, NEMA is prepared, individuals
should also have to do their part. They have to move from the floodplain.
Houses also, their drainages, they have to clean and clear their drainages.
Water will find its way so the waterways should be cleared, and the drainages
should be cleared to allow water to move. That is the responsibility of
everybody.
Look at your house, if your house is at the flood plane, please move
please move from the flood plane, it is an appeal,” the NIHSA boss stated
The release of water from the Lagdo Dam comes days after water
from overflowing Alau Dam killed over 30 persons and swept away thousands of
homes in Maiduguri, the capital city of Borno State.
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