Residents of littoral States of Nigeria are currently on edge over a possible re-enactment of tragedies in the wake of the reported release of excess water from Lagdo Dam in Cameroun. This follows the torrential rains and the recent devastation of Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, due to the collapse of Alau Dam.
The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), had on Tuesday, September 17, 2024, issued a warning of possible severe flooding that would affect approximately 11 States across the country, due to release of water from Lagdo Dam.
States likely to be impacted and which border the River Benue, include, Adamawa, Taraba, Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, Edo, Delta, Anambra, Bayelsa, Cross-River, and Rivers.
NIHSA also advised people in these States as well as officials of government at all levels to “heighten their vigilance and implement appropriate preparedness measures to mitigate potential flooding impact that may arise due to increase in flow levels of our major rivers during this period”.
Although, the flood disaster in Maiduguri and some other parts of Borno State was not caused by the release of water from Lagdo Dam, the fear is that the release of water from Lagdo Dam will have more devastating effects than it happened in 2022.
The water level of Rivers Niger and Benue are already rising, despite what the Cameroonian authorities described as the gradual release of water from Lagdo Dam, reports disclosed.
For instance, residents in some communities, including Irri in Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State, are already relocating from flood plains to higher grounds, following the rise in water levels in affected areas.
Warned Umar Muhammed, NIHSA’s Director-General/Chief Executive Officer, while emphasising the need for people to relocate from flood plains, in a statement: “The water discharge is anticipated to progressively escalate to 1000m³/s over the next seven days, based on the inflow from the upstream Garoua River, which serves as the primary source into the reservoir and a significant tributary to the Benue River”.
His warning has since thrown those in the affected States into a panic mode, as governments of the affected States are currently hurrying to relocate people and also provide camps for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
Confirming the development, Ezekiel Manzo, spokesman of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), affirmed that the release of excess water from the Lagdo Dam was ongoing and swelling the water level of River Benue.
He said the release implied that it safeguarded the possible risk of damage that might occur to the dam when its capacity was overwhelmed.
Said he: “A breakage of the dam would cause much damage in Nigeria as we have witnessed recently in Maiduguri with Alau Dam, a much smaller dam compared to the one in Cameroun”.