FG issues flood alert as Cameroon opens Lagdo Dam

The federal government has alerted Nigerians of the release of water from Lagdo Dam in Cameroon.

The Director-General of the Nigeria Hydrological Service Agency (NIHSA), Umar Mohammed, notified Nigerians on the development in a statement yesterday.

Mohammed said there is no cause for alarm as major flooding is not expected in Nigeria.

He, however, said Adamawa, Taraba, Kogi, Nasarawa, Benue, Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Cross River and Rivers states should be well prepared to mitigate the impact of the water.

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Lagdo is a reservoir located in the Northern Province of Cameroon, on the Benue River, in the Niger Basin. The lake covers an area of 586 km2.

Data from the National Emergency Agency (NEMA) showed that the release of water from Lagdo Dam in 2022 caused massive flooding in Nigeria which killed 603 persons, displaced 1.4 million, injured 2,400 others, and destroyed 82,035 houses and 332,327 hectares of farmland.

Following a similar incident witnessed in Nigeria last year, the NIHSA had then alleged that the notification on the release of water from the Lagdo Dam came about seven days after the dam was opened.

The Senate had, in October 2023, called on the Federal Ministry of Water Resources to revisit the proposed construction of Dasin Hausa Dam and any other dam to take in the flood waters from Lagdo Dam in Cameroon.

The NIHSA boss yesterday stated: “The Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency, NIHSA, wishes to inform the general public that the authority in Lagdo Dam in Cameroon has informed the Agency that the dam Management will begin regulated water releases at the rate of 100m³/s (8, 640,000m³/day) today 17 September 2024.

“The water releases are expected to increase gradually to 1000m³/s in the next seven days depending on the inflow from the upstream Garoua River, which is the main feeder into the reservoir and a major contributor to the Benue River.

“However, the dam managers further stated that the planned water releases will be gradual so as not to exceed the conveyance capacity of the Benue River system and cause major flooding downstream Nigeria.

“The spilling of waters from Lagdo Dam is expected to stop as soon as noticeable decrease in flow from the Lagdo reservoir.

“The agency wishes to state that there is no cause for alarm as major flooding is not expected downstream Nigeria as the flow levels along the River Benue are still within the warning levels.

“Notwithstanding, it is highly imperative for all states that are contiguous to the river Benue system, namely; Adamawa, Taraba, Benue, Kogi, Edo, Delta, Anambra, Bayelsa, Cross River and Rivers.

“The government at all levels (federal, state and local government areas) step up vigilance and deploy adequate preparedness measures to reduce possible flood impacts that may occur as a result of increase in flow levels of our major rivers at this period.”

The NIHSA boss said the agency would continue to monitor closely the flow situation of the trans-boundary River Benue and the national inland rivers and steadily provide regular updates on water levels across major rivers to forestall further flood disasters.

Many states had been ravaged by flooding this year, the latest and worst-hit being Borno whose capital suffered devastating flood that led to loss of lives and displacement of hundreds of thousands.