Lagdo dam: FG plans buffer dams to tackle flooding

The federal government has revealed its plan to construct five buffer dams to contain incessant flooding arising from the release of water from Cameroon’s Lagdo Dam.

The plan was disclosed by the Director-General of the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), Umar Mohammed during Channels Television’s The Morning Brief breakfast programme on Thursday.

Nigerians in floodplains were warned by the agency to relocate to safer places due to the expected floods precipitated by the release of water from the Lagdo Dam.

Flood-prone states listed by NIHSA include Adamawa, Taraba, Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, Edo, Delta, Anambra, Bayelsa, Cross Rivers, and Rivers.

Represented by the Agency’s Director of Operations and Hydrology, Femi Bejide, Mohammed stated that a report has been submitted to the Presidency to address the issue and that some of dams in the country have to be de-silted.

“What has to be done also is that there’s a report that has been submitted to the Presidency. We have to have buffer dams and five have been proposed and the Federal Government is looking at that already.

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“But in the interim, some of our dams have to be de-silted, the tributaries of River Niger and Benue have to be expanded.

“I learnt that there is a little issue with the design and they are trying to amend the design. I believe that in the next two to three years that would have been put in place,” he said.

The update comes after the federal government alerted citizens to the water release from the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon on Tuesday.

Speaking in a statement signed by Mohammed, Nigerians were informed that the authorities of the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon would initiate controlled water releases starting from Tuesday, September 17, 2024.

“The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency wishes to notify the general public that the authorities of the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon have communicated to the agency that they will initiate controlled water releases at a rate of 100m³/s (8,640,000m³/day) starting today, 17 September 2023.

“The water discharge is anticipated to progressively escalate to 1000m³/s over the next seven days based on the inflow from the upstream Garoua River, which serves as the primary source into the reservoir and a significant tributary to the Benue River.

“Nonetheless, the dam operators have indicated that the planned water discharges will be gradual to avoid surpassing the conveyance capacity of the Benue River system and triggering substantial flooding downstream in Nigeria.

“The overflow from the Lagdo Dam is projected to cease once there is a noticeable reduction in the flow into the Lagdo reservoir,” the statement partly reads.

Lagdo dam: FG plans buffer dams to tackle flooding

Maiduguri flood: Displaced persons return home as water recedes

Many people displaced by Alau Dam flood in Maiduguri have started leaving camps for their respective homes as the water receded in many areas of the city.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that all those leaving camps are provided with two weeks of food ration and N10,000 each by the State Government which has embarked on distribution of cash and food items in the 32 camps across Maiduguri.

The flood disaster has affected nearly one million people, with around 200,000 displaced. Many residents have had to turn to boats for transportation due to the high water levels.

The flooding has also led to significant infrastructure damage, including the collapse of bridges and the flooding of hospitals and schools.

In his maiden briefing at the Flood Disaster Situation Room, the Borno State Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Prof. Usman Tar, said over 30,000 households with a population of over 600,000 were registered i the camps.

Tar said that the government was committed to closing the camps within two weeks and was happy to see some people leaving after collecting their ration.

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Tar said that about 40 per cent of the camps were being attended to with the cash and food palliatives by members of the flood committee.

According to him, a Rapid Assessment Team had been established with technically qualified individuals and community leaders to go round and assess damage for government support.

“The committee will go round and check the nature of destruction on homes and determine the cash equivalent of the destruction on the basis of which the government shall provide cash support to each household.

On incidents of looting in some affected areas, Tar said that security men had been mobilised with many arrests made.

He cautioned against some reported dangerous activities like consumption of dead animals, contaminated food and drugs, adding that public enlightenment was on for arrest and prosecution of those involved in the sales and distribution of contaminated items.

“On the issue of escaped animals from the Maiduguri Zoo, a team has been dispatched to trace them with many captured.

“I am happy to tell you that the Lion in the zoo survived the flood and is being rehabilitated,” the commissioner said.

Maiduguri flood: Displaced persons return home as water recedes

(NAN)

Ganduje not plotting to dethrone any Kano Emir – Aide

ABUJA: Senior Special Assistant on Public Enlightenment to the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Chief Oliver Okpala has dispelled allegations in some quarters that his principal, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje was plotting a fresh dethronement of Emir Muhammadu Lamido Sanusi of Kano.

An online report with the headline, “Ganduje leads a fresh plot to dethrone Emir Muhammadu Sanusi” had alleged “a fresh plot” by Ganduje “to dethrone Muhammadu Sanusi as the Emir of Kano”

The report quoted “sources within the Kofar Kudu Palace, powerful individuals in Kano allegedly led by Dr Ganduje, are orchestrating the removal of the former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor as the 16th Emir of Kano and Chairman of the Kano Council of Chiefs”

Reacting to the publication, Chief Okpala insisted that nothing could be farther from the truth about the claims, reiterating that Dr Ganduje has nothing to do with the allegation of a fresh plot to dethrone Emir Muhammadu Sanusi.

Okpala said Ganduje was no longer the Governor of Kano state, neither is he the Speaker of the state House of Assembly and could not be linked to any fresh plot or plan to dethrone or enthrone anyone as Emir of Kano.

“It should be made categorically clear that Dr Ganduje has nothing to do with the present enthronement or dethronement of Emir Muhammadu Sanusi in Kano state.

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“It should be noted that Dr Ganduje is no longer the Executive Governor of Kano state or the speaker of the Kano state House of Assembly and therefore cannot have anything to do further with the Emirship of Kano.

“It is laughable that Dr Ganduje who has left office as Governor for some years now would be accused of masterminding a fresh plot to remove or enthrone an Emir.

“According to the publication, Ganduje is not only alleged to be plotting to remove Emir Sanusi, they said he is also plotting to advise Alhaji Ado Bayero to abdicate his throne as Emir of Kano for peace to reign. This is, to say the least preposterous and absurd.

“It must be made clear that Dr Ganduje has led and governed Kano state creditably and since moved on, focusing on other more important national issues, as he leads Nigeria’s governing party, the APC.