Panic In Nasarawa! Government Orders Urgent Relocation Over Looming Flood Disaster

The warning was delivered on Wednesday in Lafia by the Director General of the Nasarawa State Emergency Management Agency (NASEMA), Benjamin Akwash, in response to a fresh flash flood alert from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), which listed Nasarawa among 20 high-risk states.

Other affected states include Sokoto, Lagos, Kaduna, Zamfara, Yobe, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Jigawa, Adamawa, Taraba, Niger, Benue, Ogun, Ondo, Delta, Edo, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, and Cross River.

Akwash emphasized the importance of prioritizing safety over sentimental attachment to ancestral homes, urging vulnerable communities to relocate to elevated areas for their protection.

“We’re reinforcing our earlier sensitization efforts by asking those in flood-risk zones, especially along riverbanks, to move to higher ground. It’s a matter of life and death,” Akwash said. “Natural disasters strike without warning, and ignoring early alerts can be fatal.”

He further revealed that the agency is making plans to procure speedboats, canoes, and emergency kits to support evacuations during potential flood situations.

Akwash also cautioned residents against disposing of waste in drainage systems or building on waterways and urged them to adopt preventive measures to reduce the impact of flooding.