Kogi on red alert as NEMA warns of impending flood disaster

There may be a possible repeat of the 2012 flood disaster in Kogi State when the River Niger overflowed its banks, displacing many residents.

This warning was given yesterday by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

The 2012 flood covered major high ways causing many travellers to be stranded in Lokoja, the state capital for several days.

NEMA’s Director of Planning, Research and Forecasting, Vincent Owan, expressed the fear when the agency visited the state to assess the extent of the impending flood disaster.

He advised residents on the flood plains to immediately relocate to the upland areas or to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp at the flood estate built by former Governor Idris Wada.

His words: “My first impression is that the flood situation is quite devastating for the fact that all the indices that manifested in the 2012 flood disaster are here, except for the release of water from the Lagdo Dam.

“Most of victims of flood today have been relocated to higher grounds, particularly the IDP hostels at the flood housing estate.”

He added that the situation needed NEMA management’s early intervention, saying: “We are going collaborate extensively with the Kogi State Government to ensure that displaced persons are well catered for.

“I have communicated with the Director General of NEMA and very shortly you will feel the presence of the agency in the state.

Responding, Commissioner for Environment, Sanusi Yahaya, said the water level was not receding, as it keeps rising.

“We are appealing to people in the flood prone areas to move to higher grounds immediately because we don’t know when the water from the Lagdo Dam will be released. When it is released the situation may be worse than the 2012 experience, he warned.