Floods Displace Residents in 18 Nasarawa Communities

The Nasarawa State Government has confirmed that residents of more than 18 communities in Doma Local Government Area have been displaced by severe flooding that destroyed buildings and farmlands.

The Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Nawani Aboki, disclosed this while briefing journalists on Monday in Lafia, the state capital, describing the incident as a major humanitarian crisis.

According to Aboki, the flooding affected several communities in the Eke Development Area of Doma Local Government Area, leaving hundreds of residents homeless and causing significant damage to properties and farmlands.

“Recently, there was an issue of flooding in the Eke Development Area of Doma Local Government, where over 18 communities were affected.

“It was not just normal flooding, but massive flooding that took place. A lot of people were displaced, and several buildings were destroyed, including farmlands,” he said.

Aboki said Governor Abdullahi Sule had directed the Director-General of the Nasarawa State Emergency Management Agency to visit the affected communities and assess the extent of the damage.

He added that the agency was compiling a report to guide the government’s intervention and response to the disaster.

The commissioner also disclosed that he had visited the affected areas alongside the Chairman of Doma Local Government Area to sympathise with residents over their losses.

He said displaced residents had taken refuge in communities located on higher ground, including Agyema, Agbachi and Rukubi, all within Doma Local Government Area.

Aboki noted that the influx of displaced persons had placed additional pressure on host communities but assured that the government was committed to facilitating their return home once the floodwaters receded.

However, he urged the displaced residents not to return to their homes yet, citing uncertainty over the possible release of water from the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon.

The commissioner further said the state government had begun arrangements to provide relief materials and other forms of support to the affected residents to prevent disease outbreaks and address their immediate needs.

He also advised residents living in flood-prone, low-lying areas to relocate to higher ground in compliance with advisories issued by the National Emergency Management Agency and the Nigerian Meteorological Agency.