Evacuate Now, Communities Near Niger, Benue, Gongola Rivers Told

Communities on the Niger, Benue, Kogi, and Gongola River floodplains area have been told to relocate from their abodes because of a threat of flood resulting from a heavy downpour in the next few days.

The Federal Ministry of Environment at the weekend issued a fresh flood warning to Delta State and ten other northern states through its National Flood Early Warning Centre (FEW Centre) in Abuja.

A circular signed by the director, Erosion, Flood and Coastal Zone Management Department, Usman Abdullahi Bokani,  stated that the underlisted locations and environs are likely to witness heavy rainfall that may lead to flooding within the period of prediction -14th – 18th September, 2025

Adamawa State, Benue, Nasarawa, Taraba, Niger, and Kebbi State are among the ten northern states placed on red alert. Others include Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, Zamfara, and Delta State, the only southern state mentioned in the circular.

The circular warned that some communities along Adamawa’s Numan Local government and Lokoja in Kogi state may experience flooding due to the rise in the water level of the rivers Gongola, Benue and Niger.

The flood alert further advised settlers living along the plains of the River Gongola, especially the part that moves up to Numan, including the flood plain of the River Benue and Niger up to Lokoja, to move away from those locations to avert any risk of being affected by the natural disaster.

Prominent towns listed on the circular include Ganye, Makurdi, Bali, Abraka, Donga, Okpo-Krika, Gwarzo, Makira, Gusau, Shinkafi, Udoma, Serti, Rijau in Niger State and many others.

Zamfara State, which has the highest number of towns put on this red alert, was warned to keep watch over Kaura Namoda, Shinkafi, Maradun, Gusau, Anka and Bungudu.

In early August, Nigerian weather authorities warned that parts of 21 of the country’s 36 states were likely to experience flooding due to heavy rains.

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) said “conditions are highly conducive for intense and prolonged rainfall, which, when combined with already saturated soil profiles and elevated river levels, significantly increases the risk of flooding”

Communities in the flood-prone areas were advised to relocate to safer areas.