Panic in 11 states as release of water from Lagdo Dam begins

*States activate measures to mitigate impact of flooding; set up IDPs camps  *Confusion, tales of hardship as relocation order comes into effect; as some communities refuse to obey

Following torrential rains and the recent devastation of Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, due to collapse of Alau Dam, Nigerians in littoral states of the country are currently on edge over a possible re-enactment of similar tragedies in the wake of the reported release of excess water from Lagdo Dam in Cameroun. 

Recall that the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency, NIHSA, had on Tuesday September 17, 2024, issued a warning of possible severe flooding that will affect approximately 11 states across the country, with the release of water from Lagdo Dam.

States likely to be impacted and which border the Benue River, include Adamawa, Taraba, Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, Edo, Delta, Anambra, Bayelsa, Cross-River, and Rivers. 

NIHSA also advised people in these states as well as officials of government at all levels to “heighten their vigilance and implement appropriate preparedness measures to mitigate potential flooding impact that may arise due to  increase in flow levels of our major rivers during this period.”

Although the flood disaster in Maidguri and some other parts of Borno State was not caused by the release of water from Lagdo Dam, the fear is that release of water from Lagdo Dam will have more devastating effects as it happened in 2022.

Vanguard gathered that the water level of Rivers Niger and Benue are already rising, despite what the Cameroonian authorities described as gradual release of water from Lagdo Dam.

For instance, residents in some communities, including Irri in Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State are already relocating from flood plains to higher grounds, following the rise in water levels in affected areas. 

Emphasising the need for people to relocate from flood plains, NIHSA’s Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of the agency, Umar Muhammed, had warned in a statement:  “The water discharge is anticipated to progressively escalate to 1000m³/s over the next seven days, based on the inflow from the upstream Garoua River, which serves as the primary source into the reservoir and a significant tributary to the Benue River.”

His warning has since thrown those in the affected states into a panic mode, as governments of the affected states are currently scurrying to relocate people and also provide internally displaced peoples, IDPs,camps.

Confirming the development, spokesman of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Ezekiel Manzo, affirmed that the release of excess water from the Lagdo Dam  was ongoing and swelling the water level of River Benue. 

He said the implication of the release is that it safeguards possible risk of damage that may occur to the dam when its capacity was overwhelmed. 

“A breakage of the dam would cause much damage in Nigeria as we have witnessed recently in Maiduguri with Alau dam, a much smaller dam compared to the one in Cameroun,’’ he said.