The Federal Government has alerted Nigerians about the release of water from the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon.
The Director-General of the Nigeria Hydrological Service Agency (NIHSA), Umar Mohammed, issued the warning in an issued statement yesterday.
While assuring the public that no major flooding is expected, Mohammed urged several States—Adamawa, Taraba, Kogi, Nasarawa, Benue, Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Cross-River, and Rivers — to prepare to minimize the potential impact.
The Lagdo Dam, located in Northern Cameroon along the Benue River, spans 586 km². In 2022, water releases from the dam led to catastrophic flooding in Nigeria, resulting in 603 deaths, displacing 1.4 million people, and damaging over 82,000 houses and 332,000 hectres of farmland.
NIHSA highlighted that unlike in 2022, when there was delayed communication from Cameroon, this time, the agency has been promptly informed. Water releases from the dam will be regulated, beginning at 100m³ per second, gradually increasing to 1,000m³ per second over seven days, depending on inflow from the upstream Garoua River.
The agency emphasised that the gradual release is designed to prevent overwhelming the Benue River system and causing major flooding downstream in Nigeria. Though NIHSA said it does not anticipate severe flooding, the agency stressed the importance of readiness across the affected States.
It urged the Federal, State, and local governments to step-up vigilance and take adequate measures to mitigate possible flood impacts, saying NIHSA will continue to monitor the water levels of the Benue River and other inland rivers, providing regular updates to prevent future flood disasters.
Several States have already been hit by flooding this year, with Borno being the most affected, experiencing significant loss of life and mass displacement.
