Flood risk intensifies as NEMA deploys teams to 15 high-risk states urging urgent relocation to prevent another Mokwa tragedy.
By: Halima Yusuf
Flood Risk Intensifies: NEMA Moves to Protect At-Risk Communities
As Nigeria braces for another cycle of heavy rains and destructive flooding, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has swung into action.
With disturbing images and rising death tolls from Mokwa, Niger State, fresh in the national consciousness, the agency has deployed emergency response teams to 15 high-risk states.
Their mission? A clear, urgent one educate the people, warn the vulnerable, and prevent another avoidable tragedy.
The streets of Mokwa, once bustling with commercial activity, now bear scars of destruction.
Families continue to mourn. Crops lie underwater. Entire neighborhoods have disappeared.
And while the physical damage is extensive, the emotional toll is immeasurable.
In the face of this disaster, NEMA has sounded the alarm, pushing for immediate relocations, improved awareness, and joint action to protect communities most at risk.
Why NEMA Is Stepping Up Flood Preparedness
Speaking on the national response, NEMA’s Head of Press Unit, Manzo Ezekiel,
confirmed that field teams have been mobilized to 15 states including Kogi, Imo, Enugu, Adamawa, Taraba, Borno, Zamfara, and the Federal Capital Territory.
These areas have been identified as high-risk flood zones.
Ezekiel lamented the tragic losses in Mokwa, where over 200 lives were reportedly lost due to unexpected flash floods that swept through gully settlements.
Despite official warnings, many residents were caught unaware, largely due to living in flood-prone areas.
“Although Mokwa was listed as flood-prone, the magnitude of the recent flooding was unprecedented,” Ezekiel said. “Houses were built in gullies, which became death traps.”
In a season expected to last through October, NEMA is stressing the urgency of relocating from danger zones before it’s too late.
What Went Wrong in Mokwa?
Mokwa, a strategic commercial hub in Niger State, witnessed its sixth flood this year in late May.
The most devastating yet, it not only destroyed livelihoods but also upended families.
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) had forecast heavy storms for Abuja and 14 states including Niger on May 23.
Yet the residents of Mokwa were still caught off-guard. The state, which houses the Kainji, Jebba, and Shiroro dams, is known to be vulnerable to hydrological overflow.
However, the Federal Ministry of Water Resources later clarified that the catastrophic flooding was not caused by dam releases.
Instead, climate change-induced extreme rainfall, blocked waterways, and unregulated development were the primary culprits.
“An ephemeral tributary of River Dingi, a minor offshoot of River Niger, was obstructed by illegal constructions.
With nowhere else to go, the floodwaters engulfed entire communities,” Minister Joseph Utsev explained during a press briefing in Abuja.
Human Stories Behind the Statistics
The Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) confirmed the recovery of 160 bodies as of June 3.
Among them were children buried under tree debris. Local volunteers had to dig out corpses from muddy ruins underscoring the sheer force and unpredictability of the deluge.
As the days go by, more families come forward to search for missing loved ones, turning once-busy streets into mourning grounds.
International agencies including the Red Cross and the International Organisation for Migration have joined the effort, verifying casualties and supporting relief initiatives.
Emergency Response Measures and Community Outreach
NEMA’s approach is no longer limited to post-disaster aid. The agency has adopted a preemptive, grassroots-level outreach model.
From Gombe to Ekiti, their anti-flooding advocacy teams are hitting the streets, markets, and town halls educating communities on risk awareness and evacuation protocols.
“We realized many people didn’t understand the seriousness of our warnings until they saw us face-to-face,” said Ezekiel.
“That’s why we’re meeting them in their homes, their streets, their communities where it matters most.”
In flood-prone areas, NEMA is distributing first aid kits, offering training on emergency healthcare, and conducting risk mapping exercises.
The advocacy teams are not just preaching evacuation they’re also listening to feedback.
Working With States to Avoid Another Disaster
The success of these initiatives lies in collaboration.
According to Ezekiel, NEMA works hand-in-hand with state agencies, traditional rulers, health ministries, and even local transport unions.
In Gombe, the Deputy Governor rallied all local government chairpersons to a stakeholders’ meeting, integrating emergency response units into community structures.
“That was a big win for us,” Ezekiel added.
This multi-agency coordination is crucial. Representatives from the Red Cross, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps,
and health ministries have all been looped into a centralized disaster mitigation framework.
It’s a whole-of-society approach aimed at preventing future tragedies.
Federal Government Position and National Policy Recommendations
Flood Risk Intensifies: While NEMA leads on the ground, the Federal Government is recalibrating its flood policy strategy.
Minister Utsev has been vocal in clarifying that the recent Mokwa flood was a climate disaster, not a dam management issue.
He urged residents to obey early warnings and called for tougher enforcement of land-use laws to prevent further encroachments into wetlands and riverbanks.
As per the 2025 Annual Flood Outlook (AFO), 1,249 communities across 176 LGAs are considered high-risk.
Another 2,187 communities fall within moderate-risk zones. States like Abia, Akwa Ibom, Lagos, and Niger are among the 33 listed for potential severe flooding this year.
The government is encouraging states to:
Reinforce drainage infrastructure
Relocate vulnerable communities
Launch mass public awareness campaigns
Enforce land zoning and building regulations
Read Also:
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- Midnight Flood in Niger: Death Toll Rises, Dozens Still Missing
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Push for Compensation and Resettlement
Reacting to the Mokwa tragedy, the League of Northern Democrats has called for urgent support to affected families.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Dr. Ladan Salihu, the group demanded immediate humanitarian aid and permanent resettlement solutions.
“The Federal Government should construct low-cost, subsidized housing in safer zones for flood victims,” Salihu stated.
“With over 700 lives lost this year alone, this is a national emergency. Wealthy individuals, corporate institutions, and humanitarian bodies must also contribute to this cause.”
The Ekiti State Flood Preparedness Campaign
Flood Risk Intensifies are not limited to the North.
In Ekiti State, NEMA’s Deputy Director for Disaster Risk Reduction, Dr. Evans Ugoh, held a town forum in Ikere to sensitise residents.
Ekiti is one of the states identified by NiMet as vulnerable to flooding.
“Prevention starts with proper waste disposal and community discipline,” Dr. Ugoh warned.
“Dumping refuse in waterways blocks natural flow and increases flood risks.”
Oludare Asaolu, General Manager of the Ekiti State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA),
emphasized the long-term effects of flooding displacement, waterborne diseases, infrastructure damage, and food insecurity.
“Flooding is not just a water issue it’s a human, economic, and public health crisis,” he said. “Let us all become agents of change.”
The Ogoga of Ikere Kingdom, Oba Adejumi Adu-Alagbado, commended the proactive campaign, urging residents to embrace NEMA’s message and act now before it’s too late.
Conclusion: When the Waters Rise, So Must We
As climate change continues to intensify extreme weather conditions, the flood risk in Nigeria is no longer a seasonal inconvenience it is a national threat.
The Mokwa disaster stands as a grim reminder of what happens when early warnings are ignored, and communities remain unprepared.
The choice is clear: evacuate, adapt, and build resilience or risk more tragedies.
The message from NEMA is simple but urgent: every Nigerian, whether in a high-risk or low-risk area, must stay alert, informed, and ready.
If you live in or near a flood-prone community, take proactive steps today.
Share this information, attend local awareness sessions, and speak to your community leaders.
Don’t wait for the water to come before acting. Let’s be the generation that faced climate change head-on and survived.
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