FG Issues Five-Day Flood Alert Across 19 States, Urges Immediate Precautions

By our Correspondent

The Federal Government has raised an alert over the possibility of heavy rainfall and flooding across 19 states and 76 locations within a five-day period.

This warning was issued on Tuesday by the National Flood Early Warning Systems Centre under the Federal Ministry of Environment, which called on relevant authorities and residents to take immediate preventive actions.

This alert follows recent devastating floods in Ogun and Gombe states, with other states such as Lagos, Plateau, Anambra, and Delta also affected.

According to the centre’s forecast seen by our correspondent, the expected rainfall and possible flooding will occur from August 5 to August 9, 2025.

The states and specific areas expected to be affected include:

Akwa Ibom (Edor, Eket, Ikom, Oron, Upenekang)

Bauchi (Tafawa-Balewa, Azare, Jama’are, Kari, Misau, Jama’a)

Ebonyi (Abakaliki, Echara, Ezilo)

Cross River (Ogoja, Edor, Obubra)

Nasarawa (Keana, Keffi, Wamba)

Benue (Agaku, Buruku, Gboko, Igumale, Ito, Katsina-Ala, Ugba, Vande-Ikya)

Kaduna (Jaji, Kafancha, Birnin-Gwari, Zaria)

Katsina (Bindawa, Bakori, Daura, Funtua)

Kebbi (Bagudo, Birnin-Kebbi, Bunza, Gwandu, Jega, Kalgo, Kamba, Kangiwa, Shanga, Ribah, Sakaba, Saminaka, Yelwa, Gauri-Banza)

Kano (Bebeji, Gezawa, Gwarzo, Kano, Karaye, Tundun-wada, Wudil, Kunchi)

Niger (Kontagora, Rijau, Ringim)

Plateau (Mangu)

Taraba (Donga, Takum)

Jigawa (Diginsa, Gumel, Dutse, Gwaram, Hadejia, Miga)

Yobe (Machina, Potiskum)

Zamfara (Anka)

Sokoto (Sokoto, Wamakko)

Borno (Biu)

Gombe (Bajoga)

Flooding has become a yearly challenge in Nigeria, with deadly consequences. In 2024, 31 states were affected by flooding, resulting in hundreds of deaths, thousands of injuries, and over 1.2 million people impacted.

One of the most devastating incidents occurred on September 10, 2024, when the Alau Dam collapsed in Borno State. That event killed at least 150 people, displaced 419,000, and submerged about 70 percent of the affected community.

This year has seen a continuation of such tragedies. In May, intense rainfall and a dam collapse led to a flood in Mokwa, Niger State, killing at least 200 people and displacing thousands.

Other parts of the country have also been hit. Rivers State, for instance, experienced deadly flooding and landslides in Okrika, where 25 people were confirmed dead. In April, at least 13 people died in Kwara and Mokwa following flood-related incidents, including a canoe mishap. Over 30 communities were affected by flooding caused by water released from the Jebba Hydroelectric Power Station dam, which also destroyed rice fields.

To address the crisis, the National Economic Council recently approved the release of intervention funds. Each of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory is to receive N3 billion, while the Federal Ministries of Budget and National Planning, Environment, and Water Resources and Sanitation will each get N1.5 billion. The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) will receive N10 billion.

According to a dashboard released last Friday by NEMA, 165 people have died in the current year’s floods, 82 are missing, and 119,791 individuals have been affected. The data also recorded 138 injuries, 43,936 displaced persons, 8,594 houses affected, and 8,278 farmlands destroyed across 43 Local Government Areas in 19 states. Most of those affected were women and children.

191 Dead in 2025 – NEMA

An updated NEMA report obtained Tuesday revealed that floods have claimed 191 lives so far in 2025, with 94 people still missing.

Niger State recorded the highest death toll at 163, followed by Adamawa with 26. One death each was reported in Borno and Gombe states.

The floods have affected 134,435 people across 20 states and 47 LGAs, including Abia, FCT, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bayelsa, Borno, Delta, Edo, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Kogi, Kwara, Niger, Ondo, Rivers, and Sokoto.

NEMA also recorded:

48,056 displaced persons

239 injuries

9,499 houses damaged

9,450 farmlands affected

Demographic data from the agency indicates that the affected population includes:

27,121 men

41,539 women

60,071 children

5,704 elderly persons

1,874 persons with disabilities

In 2024, the flood disaster affected 5,264,097 people, displaced 1,243,638, caused 1,237 deaths, injured 16,469, destroyed 116,172 houses, and impacted 1,439,296 hectares of farmland, further aggravating the country’s humanitarian and economic woes.