Nigeria is bracing for a significant flooding season, with the Federal Government issuing a stark warning that 30 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are at high risk. This alert follows a devastating flood in Mokwa, Niger State, last Thursday, which claimed over 200 lives, displaced thousands, and left more than 500 missing. The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Engr. Joseph Utsev, clarified that the Mokwa tragedy was not due to dam releases but heavy rainfall exacerbated by climate change and human activities like unregulated construction blocking drainage. He emphasized the critical need for states to heed flood warnings, citing the 2025 Annual Flood Outlook (AFO) which had already identified Mokwa LGA as a high-risk area.
The AFO's comprehensive report outlines that 1,249 communities across 176 local government areas in 33 states and the FCT face high flood risk, while an additional 2,187 communities in 293 LGAs across 31 states are at moderate risk. The Minister reiterated key recommendations from the AFO, urging state and local governments to fortify drainage infrastructure, relocate vulnerable communities from flood plains, launch sustained public awareness campaigns, and enforce land-use regulations to prevent encroachment. He also directed stakeholders to the NIHSA website for detailed flood forecasts and mitigation strategies, underscoring that extreme weather events, a consequence of climate change, are becoming more frequent and severe. Technical teams from various agencies are currently in Mokwa assessing the situation to inform future prevention efforts.
Across the nation, states are reacting to the federal alarm with varying degrees of preparedness. Delta State's Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Ejiro Jamani, stated they are consolidating on last year's efforts with massive de-siltation of waterways, establishment of IDP camps, and public advocacy for residents in flood-prone areas to take precautions. In Bayelsa, a state perennially affected by floods due to its geographical location, the Directorate of Flood and Erosion Control has begun clearing canals. While acknowledging that flooding cannot be eliminated, Director-General Surv Wilson Omuso stressed minimizing damage through preparedness and coordinated response, with the agency actively working with relevant ministries and investigating unusual water level rises. The Technical Assistant to the Bayelsa State Governor on Environment, Morris Alagoa, highlighted the state's unique vulnerability and the proactive steps taken by the government, including the establishment of the Directorate of Flood and Erosion Control in 2023.
In Rivers State, NEMA's head of operations for Rivers/Bayelsa, Eric Ebhodaghe, assured readiness, outlining intensified public campaigns, stakeholder interactions, procurement of relief items, identification of safe grounds for relocation, and training of volunteers. Borno State's Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and NEMA are conducting aggressive sensitization campaigns, with the Borno Geographic Information System (BOGIS) inaugurating a committee to control development along riverbanks and waterways, warning against illegal structures. Ondo State's Chief Press Secretary, Prince Ebenezer Adeniyan, reported continuous channelization and massive dredging of waterways, affirming the state's preparedness.
Ogun State's Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, advised residents in specific flood plains to relocate and detailed the state's efforts over the past five years, including de-silting 988.3km of rivers and drainage channels and constructing 698m of concrete drainages. He also warned against dumping refuse in waterways and building on run-off routes, threatening "maximum consequences" for such actions. Osun State's Commissioner for Environment and Sanitation, Mr. Mayowa Adejoorin, highlighted ongoing massive dredging, debris evacuation, and public campaigns against indiscriminate refuse dumping. Oyo State's Commissioner for Environment, Seun Ashamu, reassured residents of preparedness, outlining awareness campaigns, emergency response plans, early warning systems, drainage maintenance, and continuous weather monitoring.
Zamfara State's Emergency Management Agency (ZEMA) boss, Amb. Bala, affirmed precautionary measures, vigorous enlightenment campaigns, and close collaboration with relevant agencies to clear drainages and educate residents. In Cross River State, the SEMA Director General, Gill Antigha, stated readiness to tackle flood incidents, with plans for a stakeholders' meeting, jingles, and sensitization tours across the 18 LGAs, urging residents to take proactive measures. Finally, Lagos State's Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, assured residents of adequate preparation, advising those in low-lying wetland areas to move upland. He emphasized the state's network of weather and river gauge stations, collaboration with NiMet, and ongoing flood control measures, stressing that "careful and rigorous planning" will help the state manage the impending rainfall.
