The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) has warned that the current water level in the Middle Niger of the Niger Basin portends some level of concerns for Nigeria as there could be likelihood of river flooding in the states contiguous to River Niger.
The states, according to the agency, are; Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, Nasarawa, Kogi, Anambra, Delta, Edo, Rivers and Bayelsa.
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Engr. Clement Onyeaso Nze, the Director-General of the agency, said latest information from the regional Niger Basin Authority (NBA) Headquarters in Niamey had it that, as at Sunday, August 23, the flood level of River Niger monitored in Niamey was 6.60m, which he said was already within the red alert Zone.
He said the flood magnitude sighted in Niamey is expected to arrive Nigeria through Kebbi State around September 6, adding that operators of Kainji and Jebba dams have long been alerted to take appropriate measures in the operation of the reservoirs.
Our correspondent reports that River Niger Basin, which covers nine countries of Benin, Burkina- Faso, Cameroun, Chad, Cote D’Ivoire, Guinea, Mali, Niger and Nigeria, has Nigeria at the lowest portion of the Basin.
This means that once the upper catchment of the Basin gets flooded, Nigeria should be prepared to experience flooding incident.
According to the agency, Kainji Dam is now spilling water at the rate of 86.4 million cubic metres per day, which means communities downstream Kainji and Jebba dams could be flooded.
The DG said the Shiroro Dam on Kaduna River is still impounding, though there is the possibility of spilling water in the weeks ahead.
