Lagdo Dam: Taraba residents flee as water submerges farmlands

Residents of towns and villages along river Benue in Taraba State have started relocating and harvesting their crops as water begins to submerge farms following the release of water from Lagdo Dam in Cameroon Republic.

Findings revealed that the volume of water has started increasing in River Benue as farms located close to the river are being submerged.

Jalo Ibbi, a boat operator in Ibbi town which is located by the River Benue, told Daily Trust in a telephone interview that volume of water in the Rivers had started increasing in the last 20 hours.

He said rice farms which were about to mature had been submerged by water, causing panic among residents of the riverine areas in the state.

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Jalo stated that owners of houses located by the river had started packing out of their houses to safer areas in the town while others were adamant.

He said the volume of water in the river wqs gradually increasing and farmers whose Maize farms had matured were using canoes to harvest in an effort to avoid destruction of the produce.

At Amar and Kambari towns in Karim-Lamido Local Government Area, both located by River Benue, residents were said to be packing their belongings out of their houses following increase in the volume of water in the river which has a direct link to Lagdo Dam.

At Zip, Alhaji Gambo told Daily Trust that farms and houses close to River were being submerged.

He said residents started noticing increase in the volume of water in the river midnight Thursday.

He said some of the residents were relocating to an area called Jigawan Zip where the residents normally relocate during flooding.

At Mayoreneyo town also located at the banks of River Benue, Alhaji Jidda said residents were panicking as the water started to overflow its banks.

He said farmers in the area were yet to recover from destruction of their crops by flood which occured two weeks ago when Cameroonian authorities released water from the Lagdo Dam which may cause more destruction to lives and properties.

He said whenever water is released from the dam, residents of towns and villages in six local government areas of Taraba State located by the River Benue encountered serious flood which caused destruction of houses and farmlands.

“We fear what might happen in the next few days as the volume of water in River Benue is gradually increasing following release of water from Lagdo Dam in Cameroon Republic,” he said.

Meanwhile,the state Commissioner for Humanitarian, Savior Noku, has said that his ministry is collaborating with NIWA, the Red Cross, and other agencies to patrol areas along the Benue tributaries to monitor situation regarding release of water from Lagdo Dam in Cameroon.