Editorial
Flooding: Responding To Lagdo Dam Warning

The alert issued by the Cameroonian authorities regarding the projected discharge of excess water from
their Lagdo Dam brings forth another time of distress and suffering for Nigerians. The memoirs of the ravaging torrent that unleashed mayhem in 2022, when these floodgates were last opened, should serve as a grim reminder of the potential repercussions. Immediate action should be taken to address this looming threat.
The authorities in Abuja and the concerned states must remain circumspect, despite the guarantee given by the Cameroonian government regarding the release of water from the dam. The saying, “To be forewarned is to be forearmed” holds in this situation, emphasising the value of being equipped for any probable risks. Accordingly, the government should maintain a wary approach, ensuring that needed measures are in place to mitigate and forestall any damage that may ensue along the River Benue basin in both Cameroon and Nigeria.
Besides the warning by the Cameroonian government, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) had predicted that an amazing 4.2 million Nigerians could face displacement this year. In their report, the IOM estimated that a substantial amount of $20 million would be required to ensure the safety and well-being of the most vulnerable communities. These funds would be earmarked towards securing suitable sanctuaries and expediting relocation efforts from May to October.
Regrettably, it is unlikely that the Nigerian government will take these prognoses seriously. Examining the way past deluges have been managed in the country exposes a pattern of dereliction and inattention to the forecasts of imminent calamities. Despite many warnings, our governments and responsible agencies have failed to meet the expectations of the citizens, leaving them to confront the floods on their own. This persisting abandonment of the population in moments of emergency has spawned a sense of disillusionment and resentment among the people.
In contrast to the ravaging flood situations in 2012 and 2022, which induced extensive carnage to communities, roads, and farmlands because of brimming rivers, the authorities and emergency agencies along the 1,400-kilometre Benue River should prepare for potential flooding. Evacuating vulnerable communities, principally those in flood plains, may be fundamental to ensure safety and curtail risks.
On the warning from Cameroon, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) claims to be on top of the situation and has been embarking on sensitisation campaigns across Nigeria. “The letter is genuine. It is not coming to us by surprise. We identified various likely causes of flood, including the possibility of excess water release from the Lagdo dam, and included all in our flood preparedness for the year,” said the spokesman of the agency, Manzo Ezekiel.
In 2013, Cameroon and Nigeria negotiated an agreement where the former would provide early warning notices to Nigeria to implement proactive measures. With the alert now issued, prompt response by all tiers of government is essential to preclude a recurrence of the ruining tragedies in 2012 and 2022. States should establish a State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps to preempt probable mishaps. Procuring and storing relief materials worth millions of naira are indispensable.
We advocate the urgent construction of flood control dams along the Rivers Niger and Benue to thwart possible flooding resulting from the release of water from the Lagdo dam. This must be prioritised, alongside the dredging of major rivers, to alleviate siltation and sedimentation. All categories of government should implement existing policies and establish new legislation to safeguard the ecosystem from the pernicious impacts of human endeavours prompted by industrialisation, urbanisation, and climate variation.
NEMA should proceed from raising alarms to being strategic. However, the problem is not peculiar to the agency, the affected states, or the likely victims. There is a systemic challenge of our institutions and leaders preferring reactive instead of proactive responses to socio-economic challenges. This is from the highest level of government to the least of our public institutions. We are permanently reactive in our approach to governance, suffering devastating consequences before belatedly putting on our thinking caps.
Considering the remarkable transformations in the weather, if more wrecking heavy rains occur, they could cause great cataclysm to lives and property. Unfortunately, there are no measures in place to ward off hazards emanating from these probable circumstances. Burst pipelines, building collapses, flash floods, and other episodes caused by human omissions have had the most stringent impact on this country. Nigeria’s emergency services frequently project their ineptitude as their dearth of preparedness is revealed.
Since the floods last year and 2012, when the Niger-Benue River system burst its banks and submerged communities with the attendant loss of lives and economic livelihood practices, what has the government at all levels done to avert future disasters? What frameworks have been put in place to deal with another incident? Elsewhere, levees and embankments would have been erected to check floodwaters and protect communities. Not in Nigeria.
Public enlightenment is recommended, specifically at the community level, to promote awareness and sensitise the people in anticipation of the flood. The notification concerning the discharge of water from the Lagdo Dam is a wake-up call for the Nigerian government to address the potential aftereffects. We must disseminate accurate information and educate the public on the precautions to blunt the impact of the flood.
Editorial
Benue Killings: Beyond Tinubu’s Visit

The recent massacre in Yelewata, Benue State, ranks among Nigeria’s deadliest attacks of
2025. While official figures put the death toll at 59, media reports and Amnesty International estimate between 100 and 200 fatalities. This atrocity extends a decade-long pattern of violence in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, where Beacon Security data records 1,043 deaths in Benue alone between May 2023 and May 2025.
President Tinubu’s visit on 18 June—four days after the 14 June attack—has drawn sharp criticism for its lateness. This delay echoes a history of inadequate responses, with Human Rights Watch documenting similar inaction in Plateau and Kaduna states since 2013, fuelling a culture of impunity. The attack lasted over two hours without meaningful security intervention, despite claims of swift action.
The violence bore hallmarks of genocide, with survivors recounting systematic house burnings and executions. More than 2.2 million people have been displaced in the region since 2019 due to comparable attacks. Data show Benue’s agricultural output falls by 0.21 per cent in crops and 0.31 per cent in livestock for every 1 per cent rise in violence.
Security forces continue to underperform. No arrests were made following the Easter attacks in April (56 killed) or May’s Gwer West massacre (42 killed). During his visit, Tinubu questioned publicly why no suspects had been detained four days after Yelewata, highlighting entrenched accountability failures.
The roots of the conflict are complex, with climate change pushing northern herders south and 77 per cent of Benue’s population reliant on agriculture. A Tiv community leader described the violence as “calculated land-grabbing” rather than mere clashes, with over 500 deaths recorded since 2019.
Government interventions have largely fallen short. The 2018 federal task force and 2025 Forest Guards initiative failed to curb violence. Tinubu’s newly announced committee of ex-governors and traditional rulers has been met with scepticism given the litany of past unkept promises.
The economic fallout is severe. Benue’s status as Nigeria’s “food basket” is crumbling as farms are destroyed and farmers displaced. This worsens the nation’s food crisis, with hunger surges in 2023-2024 directly linked to farming disruptions caused by insecurity.
Citizens demanding justice have been met with force; protesters faced police tear gas, and the State Assembly conceded total failure in safeguarding lives, admitting that the governor, deputy, and 32 lawmakers had all neglected their constitutional responsibilities.
The massacre has drawn international condemnation. Pope Leo XIV decried the “terrible massacre,” while the UN called for an investigation. The hashtag “200 Nigerians” trended worldwide on X, with many contrasting Nigeria’s slow response to India’s swift action following a plane crash with similar fatalities.
Nigeria’s centralised security system is clearly overwhelmed. A single police force is tasked with covering 36 states and 774 local government areas for a population exceeding 200 million. Between 2021 and 2023 alone, 29,828 killings and 15,404 kidnappings were recorded nationally. Proposals for state police, floated since January 2025, remain stalled.
Other populous nations offer alternative models. Canada’s provincial police, India’s state forces, and Indonesia’s municipal units demonstrate the effectiveness of decentralised policing. Nigeria’s centralised structure creates intelligence and response gaps, worsened by the distance—both physical and bureaucratic—from Abuja to affected communities.
The immediate aftermath is dire: 21 IDP camps in Benue are overwhelmed, and a humanitarian crisis is deepening. The State Assembly declared three days of mourning (18-20 June), but survivors lack sufficient medical aid. Tragically, many of those killed were already displaced by earlier violence.
A lasting solution requires a multi-pronged approach, including targeted security deployment, regulated grazing land, and full enforcement of Benue’s 2017 Anti-Open Grazing Law. The National Economic Council’s failure to prioritise state police in May 2025 represents a missed chance for reform.
Without decisive intervention, trends suggest conditions will worsen. More than 20,000 Nigerians have been killed and 13,000 kidnapped nationwide in 2025 alone. As Governor Hyacinth Alia stressed during Tinubu’s visit, state police may be the only viable path forward. All 36 states have submitted proposals supporting decentralisation—a crucial step towards breaking Nigeria’s vicious cycle of violence.
Editorial
Responding To Herders’ Threat In Rivers

Editorial
Democracy Day: So Far…

Nigeria’s return to democratic rule in 1999 marked a watershed moment in the nation’s political history. After enduring nearly 16 years of successive military dictatorships, Nigerians embraced a new era of civil governance with the inauguration of President Olusegun Obasanjo on May 29, 1999. Since then, the country has sustained a democratic system for 26 years. But, this democratic journey has been a complex mix of progress and persistent challenges.
The formal recognition of June 12 as Democracy Day in 2018 by former President Muhammadu Buhari acknowledged a long-standing injustice. The annulment of the 1993 presidential election, Nigeria’s freest, betrayed the democratic aspirations of millions. That it took decades to honour this date reflects the nation’s complex relationship with its democratic memory.
One of the most momentous successes of Nigeria’s democracy has been the uninterrupted civilian rule over the last two and a half decades. The country has witnessed seven general elections, with power transferring peacefully among different political parties. This is particularly notable considering that prior to 1999, no civilian government had completed a full term without military intervention. The peaceful transitions in 2007, 2015, and 2023 are testaments to Nigeria’s evolving democratic maturity.
Electoral participation, while uneven, has also reflected a level of democratic engagement. In 2003, voter turnout stood at about 69 per cent, but this figure dropped to approximately 34.75 per cent in 2023, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Although the declining turnout raises concerns, it also highlights the increasing expectations of the electorate, who demand credible and transparent elections.
Another area of progress is the growth of a vibrant and free press. Nigerian media has played a crucial role in holding governments accountable and fostering public discourse. Investigative journalism and civil society activism have exposed corruption and human rights abuses. The rise of social media has further expanded the democratic space, enabling young Nigerians to mobilise and advocate for change, as evidenced by the 2020 #EndSARS protests.
Judicial independence has seen mixed results. On one hand, the judiciary has occasionally demonstrated resilience, such as in landmark rulings that overturned fraudulent elections or curtailed executive excesses. On the other hand, allegations of political interference and corruption within the judiciary persist, undermining public confidence in the legal system’s impartiality.
Nigeria’s democracy has also facilitated the decentralisation of power through the federal system. State governments now wield some autonomy, allowing for experimentation in governance and service delivery. While this has led to innovative policies in some states, it has also entrenched patronage networks and uneven development across the federation.
Despite these successes, Nigeria’s democratic journey faces formidable problems. Electoral integrity remains a critical concern. Reports from election observers, including those from the European Union and ECOWAS, frequently highlight issues such as vote-buying, ballot box snatching, and violence. The introduction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and electronic transmission of results in 2023 elections showed promise, but technical glitches and alleged manipulations dampened public trust.
Corruption continues to be a pervasive issue. Nigeria ranks 145th out of 180 countries on Transparency International’s 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index, with a score of 25/100. Democratic institutions meant to check graft—such as anti-corruption agencies and the legislature—often struggle due to political interference and weak enforcement mechanisms.
Security challenges have also strained Nigeria’s democracy. Insurgency in the North East, banditry in the North West, separatist agitations in the South East, and herder-farmer conflicts across the Middle Belt have collectively resulted in thousands of deaths and displacements. According to the Global Terrorism Index 2024, Nigeria ranks as the eighth most impacted country by terrorism. The government’s difficulty in ensuring safety erodes public confidence in the state’s capacity and legitimacy.
The economy poses another critical remonstrance. Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita stands at approximately $2,400 as of 2024, with over 40 per cent of the population living below the national poverty line. High unemployment and inflation have fueled discontent and disillusionment with democratic governance, especially among youth. Without addressing economic grievances, the democratic dividend will remain elusive for many Nigerians.
Ethnic and religious divisions further complicate Nigeria’s democratic consolidation. Politicians often exploit identity politics for electoral gains, exacerbating social tensions. Although federal character principles aim to promote inclusiveness, they have also sometimes fostered a quota mentality rather than merit-based appointments.
Gender representation remains inadequate in Nigeria’s democratic institutions. Women occupy less than 10 per cent of seats in the National Assembly, one of the lowest rates globally. Efforts to pass gender parity bills have faced stiff resistance, highlighting deep-seated cultural and institutional barriers to female political participation.
Civil liberties, while constitutionally guaranteed, are under threat. Crackdowns on protesters, restrictions on press freedom, and surveillance of activists reveal an authoritarian streak within the democratic framework. The controversial Twitter ban in 2021 exemplified the country’s willingness to curb digital freedoms, prompting domestic and international criticism.
The political crisis in Rivers State embodies broader democratic struggles. Attempts to control the state through undemocratic means expose weaknesses in federal institutions and the rule of law. Immediate restoration of democratic governance in Rivers State is vital to preserving Nigeria’s democratic integrity and institutional credibility.
Local governments remain under the control of state governors, depriving citizens of grassroots democracy. Last year’s Supreme Court judgment on local government autonomy is promising, but state-level resistance threatens its implementation. Genuine autonomy would bring governance closer to the people and foster democratic innovation.
As we mark Democracy Day, we must honour the sacrifices of Chief M.K.O. Abiola, Kudirat Abiola, Femi Falana, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, Pa Alfred Rewane, President Bola Tinubu, and countless others, who fought for Nigeria’s freedom. As democracy in Nigeria continues to evolve after 26 years, this day should inspire action toward its renewal. With despotism and state failure as real threats, both citizens and leaders must take responsibility—citizens by demanding more, and leaders by delivering. Excuses are no longer acceptable.
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