SEMA urges Benue residents to prepare for flooding

The Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) has called on residents to prepare for flooding later this year.

The Acting Executive Secretary of SEMA, Sir James lorpuu, made the call during the monthly distribution of food and non-food items to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) across the state.

“I would like to acknowledge the recent flood alert issued by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET), which predicts Benue State as one of the high-risk areas for flooding this year. This forecast serves as a critical reminder of the challenges our people will face in the coming days,” he said.

Iorpuu called on indigenes to remain vigilant, including stakeholders, and government agencies and the international community, to continue collaborating closely to bring durable solutions to the yearly occurrence of floods in our communities.

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Iorpuu, however, prayed to God that the expected flooding does not overwhelm Benue residents as he recalled that the state recorded minimal flooding in some communities last year despite the water volume which superseded that of 2022 and caused major flooding in many parts of the state including Makurdi metropolis.

Iorpuu commended the United Nations agencies for their relentless support and invaluable contributions towards improving the living conditions of the IDPs.