The Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) has issued a fresh warning to riverine communities across the state to urgently relocate to higher grounds, following notification from four major hydroelectric dams that they will soon begin releasing excess water.
The dams which include; Shiroro, Jebba, Kainji, and Zungeru are discharging thousands of gallons of water per minute to prevent overflow, a move that could trigger severe flooding along the Rivers Niger and Kaduna.
In a statement released in Minna on Thursday, NSEMA’s Director General Abdullahi Arah, described the development as a “catastrophic risk” for downstream communities, urging residents to limit activities around riverbanks during the peak of the rainy season.
“The Nigerian Hydrological Services has advised that people in flood-prone areas relocate to safer grounds immediately. Already, we are seeing houses, farmlands, bridges, and key roads washed away in some local government areas,” Arah emphasized.
He urged residents to avoid taking cover under trees as NiMet had also predicted violent windstorms towards the end of the rainy season. “People should avoid standing under trees during rainfall and keep away from substandard structures that could collapse in strong winds,” he cautioned.
According to NSEMA, at least 20 local government areas have already been affected by flooding, including Lavun, Magama, Rafi, Kontagora, Gbako, Mokwa, Lapai, Katcha, Agaie, Suleja, Shiroro, Mashegu, Agwara, Bida, Edati, Munya, Bosso, Chanchaga, Paikoro, and Wushishi.
According to NSEMA, communities living close to rivers, streams, and low-lying areas downstream of the dams are most at risk. However, the agency assured it has already identified safer grounds for relocation and is working with relevant authorities to provide temporary shelter.
Relocate now – NSEMA tells Niger communities as hydroelectric dams begin water release