The federal ministry of environment’s National Flood Early Warning Centre (FEW) has issued a flood alert for 32 locations across 11 states between September 14 and 18.
In a circular issued on Sunday by Usman Bokani, director of erosion, flood and coastal zone management, the centre said rising water levels in the River Gongola, River Benue and River Niger pose additional risks.
The affected areas include Ganye and Natubi in Adamawa; Abinsi, Agyo, Gogo, Ito, Makurdi, Udoma and Ukpiam in Benue; Agima, Rukubi and Odogbo in Nasarawa; Beli, Serti and Donga in Taraba; Umugboma, Umukwata, Abraka, Aboh and Okpo-Krika in Delta; and Rijau in Niger.
Others are Ribah in Kebbi; Gwarzo and Karaye in Kano; Jibia in Katsina; Makira in Sokoto; as well as Kaura Namoda, Shinkafi, Maradun, Gusau, Anka and Bungudu in Zamfara.
The ministry urged communities along the floodplains including Gongola up to Numan, and from Benue and Niger up to Lokoja to evacuate immediately.
“Also, due to a rise in the water level of River Gongola, River Benue, and River Niger, the communities on the flood plains of River Gongola up to Numan, and also communities on the flood plains of River Benue and River Niger up to Lokoja are advised to evacuate immediately,” the alert reads.
“Relevant stakeholders should kindly take note.”The warning comes days after torrential rainfall in Zaria in Kaduna state, displaced more than 470 children and destroyed at least 270 homes.
On September 4, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said floods had killed 231 people this year, injured 607, while 114 remain missing.
In 2024, more than 5.2 million people were affected by floods across 35 states and 401 LGAs, with over 1.2 million displaced, 1,237 killed and 16,469 injured.
Relocate to safer environments – Ogun Govt tells coastline communities
Meanwhile, the Ogun State government has warned residents living in coastline areas of the state to relocate to safer environment between the last week of this month and the second week of October due to the expected impact of overflow from rivers and sea water rise.
The warning was contained in the 2025 Ogun State Midterm Flood Alert released on Sunday by the Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya.
The affected communities are Ilo, Iju, Owa, Yemule, Isheri, Warewa, Akute, Ayetoro, Itele, Iju Makun, Oni, Iwopin, Igele, Ifaara (Ogun Waterside), Ebute-Imobi (Ijebu East), Tungeji Island and Agosasa in Ipokia local government area.
The need for relocation, according to the commissioner, is due to the expected high rainfall and overflow from the northern part of the country and neighboring countries like Benin to Ogun and Lagos.
Oresanya stated that the overflow, which will last for two weeks, usually happens as part of the second phase of flooding, from September through November every year.
He added that the Nigeria Meteorological Agency, NIMET, has predicted that September will have the highest rainfall of 204mm, followed by October at 190mm while by November the intensity of the rainfall wound have gone down to 93mm.
The commissioner assured residents of the concerned communities that the state government through the State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, is on red alert in the event of any emergency evacuation and relocation to temporary emergency camps spread across the state.
He added that the ministry is also working closely with the Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority on the release of water from Oyan Dam to reduce its impact to the barest minimum.
He asked residents in the communities to avoid the usage of their boreholes and well waters at this period as they are subject to contamination due to the expected flooding and tidal variations.
The commissioner also urged fish farmers in Eriwe, Yemule, Ijebu Ode, Ilase, Ayegbami in Yewa and others in the state’s flood plains to harvest their fish in order to prevent them from being washed away by floods.
