Flood threat looms in Niger State as hydro dams issue emergency warning - NaijaAgroNet

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The four major hydro-electric dams in Niger State, namely Shiroro, Jebba, Kainji, and Zungeru, have issued a warning of imminent water release due to excess inflow.

According to The Guardian, the notification was relayed to the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), which promptly alerted riverine communities to relocate upstream to avert possible disaster.

In a statement signed by its Director-General, Abdullahi Baba Arah, NSEMA cautioned that the discharge could trigger catastrophic flooding, especially along the Rivers Niger and Kaduna. The Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency has also advised residents in flood-prone zones to take immediate precautions.

“The dams are releasing thousands of gallons of water per minute, which may lead to river overflow. We strongly urge communities to reduce activities around riverbanks during this peak rainy season and relocate to safer grounds already identified,” the DG declared.

He listed the most vulnerable local government areas to include Lavun, Magama, Rafi, Kontagora, Gbako, Mokwa, Lapai, Katcha, Agaie, Suleja, Shiroro, Mashegu, Agwara, Bida, Edati, Munya, Bosso, Chanchaga, Paikoro, and Wushishi, adding that some loss of lives had already been recorded, though without specifying figures.

Meanwhile, in Mokwa, the Flood Relief Support Group has offered financial support to victims. The group issued cheques to school proprietors for the sponsorship of 88 displaced children, while 41 widows and children will undergo skills training in tailoring, catering, and soap-making.

Flagging off the exercise at Beyge Primary School, the group’s chairman, retired Assistant Controller General of Customs, Ahmed Nasir, said the intervention was to cushion the suffering of survivors who had lost livelihoods and educational opportunities.

Also speaking, the Ndalele of Mokwa, Muhammadu Shaba Aliyu, lauded the humanitarian effort, while the Head of Hausa Community in Mokwa, Bala Tanko, conveyed gratitude on behalf of residents.

Responding on behalf of beneficiary schools, Suleiman Jibrin, Principal of Hakimi Aliyu Secondary School, pledged accountability and urged for the sustainability of the sponsorship scheme to ensure lasting impact.