Nigeria’s hydrological agency has issued a flood alert for 11 states following Cameroon’s decision to release water from its Lagdo Dam.
The release comes after heavy rains in West and Central Africa. Umar Mohammed, Director-General of the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NHSA), assured that the discharges would be gradual to minimize flooding.
However, states along the Benue River, including Benue, Nasarawa, and Kogi, are expected to be affected. “The water discharge is anticipated to progressively escalate to 1,000m³/s over the next seven days,” Mohammed said.
The warning comes as Nigeria is already grappling with severe flooding in northeastern Borno state, where a dam collapse displaced thousands. In 2022, similar water releases from Lagdo caused over 600 deaths and $9 billion in damages.
The NHSA urged authorities to increase preparedness to minimize the impact of potential flooding, while officials continue monitoring the situation to avoid further devastation.
—Ezinwanne Onwuka reports for TruthNigeria from Abuja.
