The Director-General of the Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency, Clement Eze, says various parts of Nigeria are witnessing floods because the Cameroonian authorities responsible for the operation of the Lagbo Dam opened the dam without prior information.
He told journalists in Abuja yesterday that this ran contrary to the spirit and letter of the Memorandum of Understanding signed by both countries in 2015.
Eze said the Cameroonian authorities confirmed to the NIHSA that they released water from the dam without prior information.
He said the dam was opened from October 10 to 31, 2019.
He said the MoU was signed after the 2012 flooding in Nigeria was caused by excess water from the Cameroonian dam.
According to him, the MoU requires that the Cameroonian authorities give adequate and prior notice to Nigeria before opening the dam.
He advised that five downstream Kogi States: Edo, Delta, Anambra, Rivers and Bayelsa be placed on flooding red alert.
He said the river flooding that occurred in Adamawa, Taraba, Benue and Kogi States would find its ways through those states before emptying into the Atlantic Ocean.
Eze said as of yesterday, the flood level on River Benue measured at Makurdi was at 11.28 metres as against the much lower of 9.01m on November 4, 2012.
Eze said the corresponding flood levels downstream the confluence of the two rivers in Lokoja were 10.97m for November 4, 2019 and 8.04m for 4th November 2012 hence 2012 was used as a reference considering the magnitude of flood that year.
He urged the states identified for red alert to identify the communities bordering the River Niger and make adequate plans for timely evacuation of people to safe and higher grounds in the event of flooding.
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