Expect floods in 9 states due to the Lagdo Dam, the NEMA warns Nigerians.

As Cameroon started releasing water from its Lagdo Dam, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) warned Nigerians that they should prepare for flooding in nine states.

The states include Adamawa, Taraba, Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, Anambra, Edo, Delta, and Bayelsa, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

When Mr. Mustapha Ahmed, Director General of NEMA, informed newsmen on the release of water from the dam on Saturday in Abuja, he made this disclosure.

He said that the nine affected states which had communities along the banks of River Benue may be affected by the water release, which is expected to last till the end of October.

Ahmed said that the recent release had led to the displacement of communities and could lead to further destruction of crops and other infrastructure.

“NEMA has been alerted on sudden increased inundation of riverine communities and farmlands along the banks of River Niger in Adamawa, Taraba and Benue states in the past 48 hours.

“The sudden situation is attributed to the rapid release of water from Lagdo fam in the Republic of Cameroon and has resulted in the displacement of several inhabitants of the affected communities.

“Furthermore, crops, lands and valuable infrastructure are at risk of getting washed away by the flood waters.

“Situation reports from Adamawa State confirmed the upsurge of flood waters along the flood plains of River Benue.

“The situation is expected to be replicated in downstream states of Taraba, Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, Anambra, Edo, Delta and Bayelsa as the River Benue joins River Niger and flows to the Atlantic Ocean through the Niger Delta,” he said.

In order to prevent potential losses and damage brought on by potential flooding of communities, the director general further advised states and local government entities in the River Niger and Benue Basins to immediately activate their emergency response plans.

159,157 people have been affected by the flooding so far, Ahmed continued, with 28 people killed and 48,168 people forced to flee their homes across 13 states.

However, he went on to say that the organization would keep giving updates as it continued to receive situation reports from the emergency management organizations of the frontline states as well as the Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) and Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet).