The National Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (N-HYPPADEC) has urged Kogi riverine communities at the banks of Rivers Niger and Benue to relocate to upland due to impending floods.
Mr Sadiq Yelwa, Managing Director of N-HYPPADEC, gave the advice at the palaces of the Atta Igala, HRM Alaji Matthew Opaluwa Oguche-Akpa, and the Eje of Ibaji during a sensitisation tour on Sunday to Idah and Ibaji LGAs.
He said the warning was as a result of the impending floods due to the release of water from the Niger Dam and Lagdo Dam some days ago.
Yelwa urged the traditional rulers to enlighten their subjects on the dangers of imminent floods and encourage them to relocate to higher and safer grounds to avoid human and material casualties from flooding.
He urged the royal fathers to impress on their subjects the need to heed the warnings by the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMet) of imminent floods that would surpass that of 2022 with devastating effects.
“Flood is a natural phenomenon that no one can stop, and the only option left is for the people to prepare against it to avoid being caught unprepared,” Yelwa said.
He, therefore, enjoined the communities in the 10 flood-prone local government areas of the state to be vigilant to avoid being overrun by water overnight, stressing that the onslaught remained unpredictable.
“It is being anticipated that the effect may be higher than it has always been.
“Therefore, it is always good to call on the subjects to be careful and endeavour to relocate to safer grounds until the situation becomes healthier so that we can avoid loss of lives.
“That is why we felt we should come and pass this message to the royal fathers so that they will inform their subjects.
“We have visited Atta Igala and Eje Ibaji. We have been advising and appealing to the traditional rulers, youths, and community leaders.
“We need the leaders to help us prevail on the people living along river basins and channels to move up land until the situation improves.
“We have also procured two boats for Ibaji communities, which will be commissioned and put to use on Thursday,” Yelwa added.
The Atta-Igala, HRM Matthew Opaluwa Oguche-Akpa, promised to sensitise his people to ensure that they moved.
The Atta-Igala, who was represented by one of his chiefs, HRH Ibrahim Atadoga, the Inalogu-Atta, commended N-HYPPADEC for its presence to ameliorate the hardships on the riverine communities in Kogi.
Earlier, the Eje of Ibaji, HRH Ajofe Egwemi, described flooding in Ibaji LGA as a natural phenomenon that had come to stay in view of its recurrence.
The traditional ruler urged the commission to table its age-long request for construction of an all-season road.
“We have other issues, but this is the most challenging. Please remember our roads.
“We are perpetually cut off by flood because, as long as we don’t have good roads, we are cut off. Our communities are only accessible from January to May every year,” Egwemi said.
Meanwhile, Gov. Babagana Zulum of Borno State has constituted a 32-member committee on flood disaster relief distribution for victims of the Maiduguri flood.
This is contained in a statement from the Secretary to Borno Government, Alhaji Bukar Tijjani.
The government said the committee has Alhaji Baba Gujubawu, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Monitoring/Evaluation as Chairman, while Prof. Ibrahim Umara of University of Maiduguri as Co-Chairman.
Other members include representatives of North East Development Commission, Police, EFCC, ICPC, DSS, NSCDC, NEMA, SEMA, religious and traditional rulers as well as relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
Representatives of United Nations organisations in Borno and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) will also serve as members.
The Nov. 10 flood caused by the collapse of Alau Dam spillway, resulted in many deaths and destruction of property yet to be quantified in Maiduguri town and environs.
By Stephen Adeleye and Yakubu Uba
