The Director-General, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mrs. Zubaida Umar, has directed all field offices covering communities along the River Niger to step up advocacy and mobilisation efforts.
Umar’s directive is contained in a statement issued on Friday, August 22, 2025, in Abuja.
According to her, the directive is given following alerts of rising water levels in the upstream of the river in the Republic of Benin.
“Residents in Kebbi, Niger, and Kwara states, which share borders with Benin Republic, are particularly at risk and are advised to take necessary precautions.
”NEMA offices have been instructed to sensitise communities to remain vigilant and advise residents in high-risk flood plains to evacuate to safer, higher grounds,” she said.
The director-general urged state governments to strengthen their Emergency Management Agencies (SEMAs) and Local Emergency Management Committees (LEMCs) in activating contingency plans and preparedness measures.
Umar reaffirmed NEMA’s commitment to coordinated actions aimed at safeguarding lives and livelihoods along the River Niger.
“The agency is working to mitigate the potential impact of this year’s flooding and protect communities at risk,” she said.
States most vulnerable to flooding are Kebbi, Niger and Kwara, owing to their proximity to the Benin Republic and their location along the River Niger.
Residents in high-risk areas are advised to stay up-to-date with the latest information on flood warnings and evacuation instructions.
Such states should have a plan in place in case of flooding, including evacuation routes and emergency contact numbers.
States likely to be affected by flood have been advised to follow instructions from NEMA and local authorities to ensure safety.
In a related development, hte Enugu State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) says it has stockpiled relief and shelter materials ahead of an imminent flooding in some parts of the state.
The Head of SEMA in the state, Mrs. Chinasa Mbah, disclosed this at a news briefing in Enugu on Friday.
Mbah said that the state had stocked food, non food materials, daily consumables and shelter materials such as foams and blankets, among others.
Mbah said that the State Government had taken all the necessary precautionary measures to ensure that flooding and the attendant losses did not occur in the state.
She said that on receipt of the predictions from both the Nigeria Meteorological Agency and Nigerian Hydrological Service Agency, SEMA first declared “Operations Desilt all Drainages” in all the Local Government Areas.
According to her, the operation was totally successful as we got the buy-in of the council chairmen and traditional rulers of communities in the state for the campaign.
“We also embarked on flood mitigation sensitisation among the communities in the council areas already identified as susceptible to flood.
“We currently run radio jingles in different radio stations in native language for expansion of the dissemination of early warning information and precautionary mechanisms.
“We are equally re-inaugurating Local Emergency Management Committee (LEMC) in each community in each council area.
“SEMA has trained the LEMC officials to enhance their efficiency and prompt response in case of any flooding and other emergencies in various communities.”
Mbah said that SEMA had been working in partnership with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in interacting with other critical stakeholders on flooding preparedness programmes.
“SEMA staff, every last Monday of the month, undergo in-house training to enhance their operational capacity towards achieving disaster risk reduction both on flooding and any other emergencies in the state,” she said.
Enugu State has yet to record any flooding this year.
By Philomina Attah and Stanley Nwanosike