Niger State Flood Warning: Authorities urge riverside residents to evacuate immediately due to dam water release and risk of major flooding
Niger State Flood Warning has been issued by the state government, urging residents living along the River Niger and River Kaduna to immediately relocate following the release of large volumes of water from four major hydroelectric dams.
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The Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) sounded the alarm on Thursday, warning that the discharge from the Kainji, Shiroro, Zungeru, and Jebba dams poses a severe flood risk to downstream communities.
In a statement signed by Director-General Abdullahi Baba-Arah, the agency emphasised that the ongoing release—measured in thousands of gallons per minute—could trigger river overflow and potentially catastrophic flooding.
“The Nigerian Hydrological Services has advised communities along River Niger and River Kaduna to relocate,” the statement read. “The state government hereby urges residents to limit activities around riverbanks during this peak rainy season.”
The warning follows increased rainfall and the beginning of peak water release from the dams, with local governments such as Lavun, Mokwa, Lapai, and Suleja already facing early signs of flooding.
Baba-Arah noted that houses, roads, farmlands, and even bridges have been washed away, especially in communities both upstream and downstream of the affected dams.
Deaths have been recorded, although officials are yet to confirm the exact number.
The affected LGAs include:
Lavun, Magama, Rafi, Gbako, Agaie, Edati, Shiroro, Mokwa, and others.
The flood warning coincides with fresh alerts from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), which predicted that the end of the rainy season will bring strong windstorms.
Residents are advised to avoid standing under trees or staying in substandard buildings during rainstorms.
“We are urging traditional institutions, media houses, and community leaders to help propagate this advisory. This is a matter of safety and lives,” Baba-Arah added.
The Niger State Flood Warning is especially significant given the region’s past.
The 2025 Mokwa floods claimed over 200 lives, while flooding in 2022 across Nigeria killed more than 600 people and displaced over 1.4 million.
Being home to three of the largest dams in Nigeria, Niger State is historically vulnerable to flooding caused by dam discharges.
Authorities say that asseszsments are ongoing, and further updates will be issued.
In the meantime, residents of riverine and flood-prone areas are urged to relocate to government-identified safer zones.
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The state government has stressed that preparedness and public awareness are the only tools available to reduce the potential devastation.
Source: Read more at punchng.com
David Okere is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering business, governance, public affairs, and human-interest stories with a commitment to accuracy, balance, and public interest reporting.
