The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) has informed that the Cameroonian authorities have since 11:00am on Monday 28th August, 2023 stopped spillage of water from the Lagdo Dam.
In a Press Briefing released at a Press Conference at the Agency’s headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday 29th August, 2023, the Director General/CEO NIHSA, Engr. Clement Nze, FNSE, disclosed that the Agency was notified of this development at about 5:16pm on Monday 28th August, 2023.
The DG stated that the authorities which commenced releases of water from the reservoir on 14th August, 2023 at about 10:10am, had earlier said that the exercise was meant to last for only 7days. He reteirated that the situation is under control as there is no major inflow to cause any flooding downstream.
According to him, as at Tuesday, 29th August, 2023, there has been a steady flow on the River Benue Basin, noting that the water level at the Agency’s monitoring station in Makurdi, Benue State is 9.01m as against 9.68m that was recorded on same date in 2022. “The flow level on the River Niger is also considerably at normal level as well”. He added that the “level of River Niger at Niamey (Niger Republic), upstream of Nigeria, is normal with a flow level of 4.35m”.
He further revealed that the inland dams (Kanji and Jebba) on River Niger and Shiroro on River Kaduna indicated a normal flow, stating that the reservoir level at Kainji dam is 134.64m with maximum reservoir level as 141.83m.
“The measurement at NIHSA’s hydroligical station downstream the confluence of the two transboundary rivers (Niger and Benue) in Lokoja, Kogi State, is 8.54m as against 8.15m that was recorded on the same date in 2022, adding that the flow level is still within the normal range and the increase is caused by internal runoff that generated from the inland rivers due to increased flow levels occasioned by the catchment rainfall patterns”
Engr. Nze further emphasized on the need for watchfulness and high level of preparedness. He called on State Governments with emphasis on the Niger Delta region including Adamawa, Taraba, Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, Kebbi, Niger, Edo, Anambra, Ebonyi, Bayelsa, Cross-River, Rivers, citizens as well as governments at all levels including all agencies and stakeholders that are charged with disaster response and reduction, to step up action and put in place measures to mitigate and avert any eventual flooding.
It is worthy to note that the Agency had earlier in its 2023 Annual Flood Outlook (AFO) Public presentation in February, hinted that the total of 142 LGAs in 31 States across the country and the FCT are at High Flood Risks, and a total of 199 LGAs in 34 States of the Federation including FCT are at Moderate Flood Risks during this period of the year.
The information stated that the following states and some of their LGAs fall within the High Probable Flood Risk states during the months ofJuly-August-September (JAS months): Adamawa, Abia, Akwa-Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Cross-River, Delta, Edo, Ekiti, FCT, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kwara, Kebbi, Kano, Kogi, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger.
The rest are Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba and Yobe.
The Moderate Flood Risks States within these months are Abia, Adamawa, Akwa-Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Borno, Cross-River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo
Others include Ekiti, Enugu, FCT, Gombe, Imo, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, as well as Zamfara.
Press/Public Relations Unit (NIHSA)
29/8/23
