The Nigerian Hydrological Services has advised Niger riverine communities the River Niger and Kaduna to relocate.
This was contained in a press statement issued by the Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Alhaji Abdullahi Baba Arah and made available to journalists in Minna on Thursday.
The statement added that the Agency’s warning is coming as a result of the discharge of water from Kainji, Shiroro, Zungeru and Jeba hydro dams located in Niger state.
The NSEMA boss said, ‘The dams are releasing thousands of gallons of water per minute that could lead to the overflow of these rivers.
‘The state government hereby advise our communities to limit activities around River banks during this peak rainy season to avoid being flooded.
‘People living in riverine areas should relocate to safer grounds already identified. NiMeT’s latest prediction indicated that the end of the rainy season will be accompanied by a violent windstorm; as such, people should avoid standing under trees during rainfall and also avoid substandard structures.
‘The state is already experiencing the negative impact of the flooding with houses, farm lands, bridges, and linked roads washed away in some LGAs located upstream and downstream of the 4 dams, rendering many homeless and affecting the socio-economic activities of the communities.
‘The affected LGAs include Lavun, Magama, Rafi, Kontagora, Gbako, Mokwa, Lapai, Katcha, Agaie, Suleja, Shiroro, Mashegu, Agwara, Bida, Edati, Munya, Bosso, Chanchaga, Paikoro and Wushishi.
‘Loss of lives has also been recorded, stressing that the assessments of the flood impacts are still ongoing and periodic updates will be provided.
‘NSEMA, hereby, calls on all the stakeholders, the traditional institutions, well-meaning Nigerlites and the media to help in propagating this information to the general public.’