Mustapha Habib Ahmed, the Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), has alerted authorities that the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon might initiate a complete release of excess water due to heavy rainfall in the region.
Speaking in Abuja at the National Emergency Coordination Forum meeting, Ahmed revealed that Cameroon had already begun releasing water from the dam at a rate of 200 cubic metres per second, equivalent to around 18 million cubic metres daily.
He cautioned that this could potentially lead to flooding in Nigerian states situated along the River Benue, encompassing Adamawa, Taraba, Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, Anambra, Enugu, Edo, Delta, Rivers, and Bayelsa. However, Ahmed reassured that there is no immediate cause for alarm, as the dam had been closed after the initial release.
He emphasised that the extent of the damage caused by the dam’s opening would only be ascertainable once the flood season concluded.
According to Ahmed, data from the Nigerian Hydrological Service Agency’s gauging station in Makurdi indicated that the River Benue’s flow level stood at 8.97 metres on August 25, as compared to 8.80 metres on the same date in the previous year.
He further highlighted that it’s the responsibility of state governments to evacuate residents from vulnerable areas to safer locations.
“While it’s imperative for everyone to remain calm, NEMA will continue to work with other government partners to provide succor including food and non-food items to affected people in the IDP camps and the host communities while building their resilience through livelihood supports, especially with the distribution of agricultural inputs and other livelihood items.”
