The National Emergency Management Authority (NEMA) has released a new report detailing the devastating impact of severe flooding in northeastern Nigeria. According to the report, at least 49 people have died and over 41,000 individuals have been displaced as a result of the floods affecting Jigawa, Adamawa, and Taraba states.
NEMA’s spokesperson, Manzo Ezekiel, stressed that Nigeria is just entering the peak of its flood season, particularly in the northern regions, which raises concerns about the potential for further damage. The flooding has already destroyed approximately 693 hectares of agricultural land, exacerbating the country’s inflation issues due to rising food prices.
The current flooding situation follows Nigeria’s worst flooding crisis in over a decade, which in 2022 resulted in more than 600 deaths, the displacement of about 1.4 million people, and the destruction of 440,000 hectares of farmland. This year’s floods have also worsened the food security crisis, as militant attacks in the northeast force many farmers to abandon their fields.
According to forecasts, 31 out of Nigeria’s 36 states are at risk of severe flooding this year. High tides from upstream areas of the River Niger are contributing to the flood risk, confirming earlier predictions.
In response to the crisis, President Bola Tinubu has extended his condolences to the victims of the recent flooding in Jigawa state, where at least 30 lives have been lost. Tinubu expressed his sympathy to the affected families and pledged support for the affected regions.
The situation continues to develop, and authorities are closely monitoring the impact of ongoing flooding across the country.
