Flood: One Million Nigerians May Die -NEMA: Kogi Loses Over N40bn property …With 100,000 Persons Displaced

Rivers State Government House Chief of Staff, Tony Okocha (3rd right) flanked by the State Security Chiefs during the handing over of 35 Hilux patrol vehicles to security formations in the State at Government House, Port Harcourt, recently.

Over one million Nigerians may die due to the effect of
flooding if no precautionary measure is taken, the National Emergency
Management Agency(NEMA) has said.

NEMA said if the Lake Nyos Dam in Cameroon collapses, a
development it sees happening in the next three years, Nigeria will be the
worse for it considering the effect the release of over 55 million cubic metres
of water will have on the country.

The Director-General of
NEMA, Muhammed Sani-Sidi, who revealed this in Abuja on Thursday, said a
2005 United Nations Development Programme report had predicted the collapse of
the dam in less than 10 years.

Sani-Sidi, represented by NEMA’s Director of Administration,
Zanna Muhammad, at the event, said the report had it that the collapse of the
dam would be caused by gradual erosion from rain, wind and lake waters or as a
result of violent volcanic eruption.

He added: “It is estimated that between Cameroon border and
River Benue, 50 settlements, including Katsina-Ala, Kashimbilla, Waya, Manga,
Gamovo, Andie, Terwegh and over 15,000 hectares of land will be flooded.

“Also, over one million people and 20,000 herds of cattle
and other livestock will be affected and could perish.”

Sani-Sidi put the financial loss at billions of naira.

He said a manual, which was launched at the event yesterday,
had been produced by the agency on the expected collapse of Lake Nyos, adding:
“The manual is, therefore, apt, considering the various flood disasters
affecting the country and the content could be applied in different flood scenarios.

“There is, therefore, the need for various Ministries,
Departments and Agencies to develop their Standard Operating Procedures in this
regard.

“It is important also to note that the manual is a living
document and is subject to periodic review as the situation arises.”

Meanwhile, Governor Idris Wada of Kogi yesterday said
property valued at more than N40 billion had been lost in the recent floods in
four local government areas of the state.

A press statement issued in Lokoja by the Deputy Press Secretary
to the governor, Mr Michael Abu, said preliminary report on the disaster showed
that over 100 communities were affected.

The governor said this when officials of the state Emergency
Management Agency (SEMA) briefed him on the disaster.

Represented by his deputy, Mr Yomi Awoniyi, Wada said
however that the government was still taking inventory of the damages.

“We have about 100,000 registered displaced persons who are
currently camped in nine centres across the state.’’

Wada, described the floods as the worst since 1936, and
expressed fears that it would create food scarcity in the state.

He said the government would take inventory of farms lost to
the flood and compensate the affected farmers.

“We have directed the Ministry of Agriculture to take inventory
where possible for government to buy off such crops.”

Wada described the floods as unimaginable and unfortunate,
and assured that the Federal and the state governments would collaborate to
cushion the effects of the disaster.