In spite of repeated warnings from the government and relevant agencies to people living in flood-prone areas and lowlands to relocate to safe area to avoid disasters, findings by our correspondents indicate that many residents of such areas are lethargic in complying with the directive.
This, according to our findings, is due to either disregard to the inherent dangers or inability to find alternative accommodation.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) yesterday warned people living along the River Niger in Kebbi, Niger and Kwara states to move to safer areas as water levels continue to rise due to inflows from the Republic of Benin.
The Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency recently warned of potential flooding in 198 local government areas across 30 states and the FCT due to climate change and human activities.
The alert advised vulnerable communities to take precautionary measures, including relocation to safe grounds.
It categorised flood risk levels as very high, high and moderate, depending on local topography and projected rainfall intensity.
The affected states include Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara and Lagos.
The federal government over the weekend issued additional flood warnings to seven northern states through the Federal Ministry of Environment’s National Flood Early Warning Center (FEWS Center) in Abuja.
The director, erosion, flood and coastal zone management department, Usman Abdullahi Bokani, in a circular yesterday, advised that due to the rise in the water level from the River Niger, communities on flood plains from Jebba to Lokoja should evacuate.
The circular said in addition to the flood prediction of August 20, 2025 some northern towns and environs were likely to witness heavy rainfall that may lead to flooding.
Niger, Benue, Yobe, Gombe, Kebbi and Nasarawa states were especially warned.
Niger has Lapai on the alert list and Borno has Briyel, Dikwa and Maiduguri on the list.
Benue which has the highest number of towns on the watchlist was advised to be vigilant in Abinsi, Agyo, Gbajimba, Gogo, Makurdi, Mbapa, Otobi, Otukpo, just as Nasarawa has Agima, Keana, Keffi, Odogbo and Rukubi on red alert list.
The director urged relevant stakeholders and state governments to always give feedback to the FEW center from their respective states and locations.
The director-general, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mrs Zubaida Umar, has also directed all field offices covering communities along the River Niger to step up advocacy and mobilisation efforts.
Umar’s directive is contained in a statement issued on Friday in Abuja. According to her, the directive followed alerts on rising water levels.
“Residents of Kebbi, Niger and Kwara states, which share borders with Benin Republic, are particularly at risk and are advised to take necessary precautions.
“NEMA offices have been instructed to sensitise communities to remain vigilant and advise residents in high-risk flood plains to evacuate to safer, higher grounds,” she said.
The director-general urged state governments to strengthen their Emergency Management Agencies (SEMAs) and Local Emergency Management Committees (LEMCs) in activating contingency plans and preparedness measures.
Residents in high-risk areas were advised to stay up-to-date with the latest information on flood warnings and evacuation instructions.
Such states should have a plan for flooding, including evacuation routes and emergency contact numbers.
But the warnings have yet to be complied with in several states. In Benue, the advice by the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMet) fell on deaf ears as majority of the people in affected areas are still in their flood-prone homes.
Our correspondent who visited some of such communities including Achusa, Gyado Villa, Wurukum and Wadata Rice mill observed that all of them are still in their homes.
Some who spoke to our correspondent including Aliu Bala, Nyieyange Torva, James Kurayol and Ochejila Idoko all described the statement by the government urging them to vacate to safer areas without any specific location as a mere political statement.
“We have been hearing on radio that all those staying in flood prone areas should vacate to safer places and maybe I should ask you that is here now, where are those safer places located? Maybe you will help us ask the government to tell us where to go.
“We have families, just mere statement telling us to vacate to safer places without any assigned place is nonsense, that is why we have resolved to stay back with our families, times are hard now, where is the money to go and pay for accommodation?
“For us, we thought government will secure a place for us to go and stay for a while after which we will come back to our homes but there is nothing like that so are we moving to stay on the roads? What about our properties, is it easy as they are saying?
Some said they had an idea that anytime it rains the area would be flooded, and after a while it would recede, but suddenly, the release of water from the Cameroon dam worseedn the situation.
A widow who identified herself as Catherine said she rented an apartment during the dry season last year off Kastina/Ala Street, but did not know that it was a flood-prone area until the rains set in this year.
No Relocation In Zamfara
In Zamfara State, reports indicated that there is no relocation from flood-prone areas.
Despite consistent warnings by the government and the Zamfara Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA), residents of such areas continue to ignore the warning.
The prone flood areas include; Gadinah, Albarkawa, Tullukawa, Hayin Bugage, Birnin Ruwa and Gadar Banga. The areas were reported to have experienced serious flooding when the Gusau Barrage (River) was overflown in 2001 and submerged over 2,000 households.
Most people residing close to the river told our correspondent that they were aware of the warnings could not leave their homes, as they had no alternatives.
“God made us to stay here and we have nothing to do because we are poor and have no access to alternatives unless the government or any authority provides for us, then we can move,” a resident said.
The director general, media and publicity, Nuhu Salihu Anka, said the state government had referred all flood cases to ZEMA even before the warning.
Executive Secretary of ZEMA, Amb. Ahmed Bala, said the agency in collaboration with state Ministry of Information had advised them to keep away from floods.
BORNO
Residents On Waterways Seek Relocation Assistance
Most residents of Maiduguri living along waterways and were victims of the September 2024 flooding which destroyed lives and property, and displaced many, are still occupying their houses despite warnings from the state government.
A resident of Fori area of Maiduguri, one of the areas that was submerged during the disaster, Umar Abdullahi, said they were still occupying their houses because they had no money to build another house elsewhere, adding that the present economic hardship in the country contributed to their decision.
“We are close to Fori Bridge which collapsed last year during the flood and is being reconstructed by the Borno State government and the North East Development Commission (NEDC). As of today, the water level in the bridge has increased, but we are still occupying our houses because we have no place to go. We want the government to assist us in the form of compensation considering the present difficult condition so that we can rent apartments elsewhere, or build our own houses with what we have,” he said.
Similarly, Yakubu Abubakar, a resident of Gwange 1 area of Maiduguri, one of the areas affected by the September 10, 2024 flood, said they fled their homes during the flood and returned after the water receded. He said even though government warned them against occupying the area, especially those close to Gwange bridge, they were still there because they had no place to relocate.
Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum has assured that the state government was taking adequate measures to ensure that what occurred in 2024 would not repeat.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), North East Zonal Office Maiduguri, in collaboration with the Borno State Emergency Management Agency (BOSEMA), has engaged with stakeholders on flood response in the state.
The zonal Coordinator, Borno and Yobe states, Abdullahi Garba Surajo, said the engagement was conducted in partnership with relevant stakeholders including Norh East Development Commission ( NEDC ), Chad Basin , German Humanitarian Assistance, International Rescue Committee, IOM UN Migration, BOAID, CCCM Cluster, Caritas Germany, Caritas Nigeria, and JDPC.
EBONYI
Residents Reluctant to Relocate
In the last one week, Ebonyi State has had its own share of flood disasters which led to the death of eight persons, destruction of farmlands and properties worth millions of naira in Enohia Itim, and Kpoghirikpo communities in Afikpo local government area as well as Azuoto and Okpuitumo in Abakaliki local government area.
Many residents of the areas are yet to relocate while others have complied with the government directive and warnings.
At Enohia Itim, many residents who are predominantly farmers reside in makeshift houses in the plantations where they carry out their farming and other business activities. While some have relocated from the community following the recent flooding, many others still stayed back as their source of livelihood is there.
One of the farmers, Mr. Christian Okpani, said, “The recent flooding devastated us following the death of some of our children and parents but we can’t abandon our means of livelihood and move to other places. Our lives depend on what we make out of here. Since after the flooding, things are gradually picking up again and will still normalise.
“If we must relocate, that means we will be going back to the village, this is a farm settlement and what do we have there in the village, nothing, so we will remain here to continue our farming work which sustains us.”
The chairman of Afikpo LGA, Mr. Timothy Nwachi, said he would continue to urge them to relocate to safer grounds to forestall the tragic incidents.
Delta Residents Defy Warnings
Residents of Isoko North, Isoko South, Ughelli North, Ughelli South, Oshimili North, Oshimili South, Aniocha South, Patani, Warri South West, Ndokwa East, Ndokwa West and others living in flood prone areas are not relocating despite persistent warnings to relocate to safer areas.
The residents are aware of the dangers looming but are not ready to abandon their farms, property especially the difficulty in relocating to unknown area, changing of children schools and others.
Despite government calling on those living in flood-prone areas to relocate to higher grounds, promising not to abandon those living in coastal communities, in the interim, the state government is setting up camps in Asaba, Kwale, Patani, Ozoro and Otu-Jeremi for the people to move in.
Festus Ahon, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, gave the assurance while speaking on the flood update. He said government was making adequate arrangements to accommodate them at the camps nearest to them.
The state has also set up a high-powered flood management Committee headed by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Kingsley Emu. The Flood Management Committee, in collaboration with the State Emergency Management Agency and the National Emergency Management Agency, have been going around coastal communities to enlighten the people that the flood is coming and that they should move to the camps nearest to them.
Mixed Compliance In Kwara
Only some residents of flood prone areas in Edu and Patigi local government areas of Kwara State have started relocating uplands so as not to be caught unawares by the impending flood predicted by the meteorological agency.
LEADERSHIP Weekend investigation showed that some of the residents of the flood prone communities in the two local government have relocated to safer places following the persistent pressure mounted on them by the authorities of Edu and Patigi local government areas in Kwara north.
The situation is however different in Ilorin, the state capital, as residents of flood prone areas at Isalekoko-Adualere – Duma areas of Ilorin East local government still stayed put in their houses as at the time of this report.
The chairman of Edu local government area, Hon. Abdullahi Bello confirmed to LEADERSHIP Weekend that his people have temporarily relocated to upland in view of the impending flooding in some parts of the local government.
Gombe Residents Evacuate As Others Defy Warnings
Residents of flood-prone communities across Gombe State have begun moving to safer grounds following an evacuation advisory from the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA).
The warning, issued earlier this week, urged residents in low-lying areas such as Dukku, Funakaye, Akko, Yamaltu/Deba, and Kwami LGAs to relocate immediately in anticipation of heavy rainfall and possible river overflows.
SEMA officials said the move was a precaution to prevent loss of lives and property, noting that previous floods in the state had left hundreds homeless and caused significant damage to infrastructure. Some residents in Kwami told LEADERSHIP they had already moved valuables to higher ground, while others were temporarily relocating to stay with relatives.
However, not everyone is complying. In Gombe metropolis, Musa Haruna, a resident of Shara-Mansur said he had no plans to leave despite living close to a flood-prone drainage channel. “I cannot abandon my house and properties for fear of what might not even happen,” he said.
He is among several residents undermining the warning, citing reasons ranging from fear of theft of their belongings to disbelief that flooding will occur. Others complained of inadequate temporary shelter, saying they would rather stay.”
Authorities have expressed concern that such defiance could lead to avoidable casualties. SEMA urged residents to prioritise safety over property, warning that emergency rescue operations become more difficult during peak flooding.
Haruna Abdullahi, the Executive Secretary of SEMA in Gombe, said after issuing the warning, the agency embarked on sensitisation through visits, social media, and radio broadcasts.
Partial Compliance In Oyo
Following the Oyo State government’s alert most residents are yet to relocate, citing the economic situation in the country as the problem.
Others claimed that the cost of getting another residence was too high to bear.
In some communities, residents are waiting for government’s action such repairing of damaged bridges and proper channelisation of streams, rivers and drainages.
Meanwhile the state government has directed the execution of a drainage masterplan under the Ibadan Urban Flood Management Project IUFM within the next 18 months.
