Northern Elders Warn Of Flood Disaster, Seek Govt Intervention

Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has issued an urgent call to the federal government to take swift action in the face of an impending flood crisis in vast parts of Northern Nigeria.

In a statement released on yesterday, NEF spokesperson, Professor Abubakar Jika Jiddere, warned that based on current rainfall patterns, historical precedents, and official weather alerts, the region is on the brink of a severe environmental and humanitarian disaster.

Jiddere said: “As we enter the critical month of August, traditionally marked by peak rainfall, there is an immediate need for coordinated federal and state-level intervention to avert the catastrophic consequences of inaction. Historical Precedence of Devastating Floods in the North:

“2012: Floods began in early July, killing 363 people, displacing over 2.1 million Nigerians, and impacting 30 of the 36 states. Kogi and Benue States, both in the North, were the worst hit, according to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

“2022: Over 600 lives were lost, 1.3 million people displaced, 5,700 homes destroyed, and critical infrastructure, including hospitals, schools, farmlands, roads, and electricity networks, were severely damaged.

“9th September 2024: Borno State suffered a man-made disaster triggered by the collapse of Alau Dam in Konduga LGA. The resulting flash floods devastated Maiduguri and Jere LGAs, leading to multiple fatalities and widespread destruction.

“28th May 2025: Mokwa town in Niger State experienced deadly flooding caused by torrential rainfall. Official reports confirmed over 500 fatalities, 600 missing persons, mainly children, the elderly, and the physically challenged, and the destruction of 4,000 homes, farmlands, and critical public infrastructure.

“An additional 3,600 individuals sustained various degrees of injuries, and 300 children were diagnosed with acute post-flood illnesses. A full-scale humanitarian crisis, including unsafe drinking water, poor shelter, inadequate healthcare, and electricity outages, continues to unfold.”

The NEF cited a recent alert issued on 16th July 2025. The National Flood Early Warning Systems Centre (FEWS Centre) under the Federal Ministry of Environment issued an official flood alert for 11 states, 9 of which are in Northern Nigeria:

Adamawa, Borno, Bauchi, Plateau, Yobe, Katsina, Kano, Jigawa, and Zamfara. This data, when juxtaposed with current weather forecasts and infrastructural vulnerabilities, confirms the extreme risk of flooding from now through the end of September 2025.

The Northern Elders Forum called on the federal government, in collaboration with affected state governments, to urgently,

“Immediately activate flood emergency response plans; Strengthen and clear all urban and rural drainage systems; Reinforce dam infrastructure and ensure proper regulation of water releases; construct flood barriers, diversion canals, retention ponds, and reservoirs in flood-prone zones.

“Engage in urgent diplomatic dialogue with the Republic of Cameroon to manage water discharges from the Lagdo Dam, ensuring prior notification and mitigation cooperation with Nigeria; Pre-position sandbags and emergency flood mitigation kits in high-risk communities; Deploy public awareness campaigns on evacuation procedures and risk reduction practices.

“Failure to act promptly will result in avoidable loss of life, destruction of property, displacement, and economic dislocation at a scale that Northern Nigeria can not afford. This is not merely a warning. It is a declaration of a national threat. The time to act is now.”