The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Joseph Utsev, issued a warning on Friday about potential river flooding along the Niger and Benue rivers.
During a press briefing in Abuja, the minister explained that a significant amount of water is currently flowing through these rivers toward the Niger Delta region. He urged heightened vigilance and proactive efforts to prevent and manage any future flooding in the southern parts of the country.
“This flood disaster that impacted the Maiduguri and Jere areas of Borno State was largely due to the overflow of the Alau Dam, located about 10 kilometers from Maiduguri city center. The overflow was caused by a massive inflow from the Ngadda River, a major tributary of the River Yedzaram,” Utsev stated.
He added, “The Minister of State, Bello Goronyo, and I visited Maiduguri, along with heads of agencies and parastatals from my ministry, to express solidarity with the Borno State Governor and assess the extent of the devastation caused by the flood.”
As the nation mourns the losses from flooding in Borno, Yobe, Jigawa, Bauchi, and other states, Utsev drew attention to the potential risk of river flooding along the Niger and Benue rivers and some of their tributaries.
“Daily flow readings on these rivers show a marked rise in water levels, nearing a red alert status. This indicates that a large volume of water is moving toward the delta region,” he warned, emphasizing the need for ongoing vigilance and enhanced preparedness in the southern part of Nigeria.
Utsev also reminded the public of the work done by the Presidential Committee on the Development of a Strategic Plan for Preventing Flood Disasters in Nigeria, which his ministry chairs. “The committee has submitted its report, outlining 10 strategic areas to address the issue of annual flooding in the country, including key interventions for before, during, and after flooding events.”
He revealed that President Bola Tinubu has approved ₦108 billion for all 36 states to tackle recurring flooding across the country.
“As we work to recover from the recent tragedy, I urge all sub-national governments and stakeholders to act on the flood early warning information from the ministry and take proactive steps to prevent future flooding, while also activating response measures to mitigate the suffering of flood-affected citizens,” Utsev concluded.