By Olusegun Olanrewaju, Ben Ogbemudia, Cajetan Mmuta and Deborah Onyofufeke
Seething with rage from sundry causes- human, nature, and climate change- Nigeria, like other nations in the world, is bleeding with sadness from the devastating effects of heavy downpours by way of flooding.

But experts say the sorrow could have been avoided if the authorities and people take more effective measures, including checking the environment and formulating the right policies, to prevent the periodic unleashing of the demon of flooding on settlements and communities.

As of yesterday, 603 deaths have been recorded, while over 2.5 million persons were displaced after 82,538 houses submerged across states, according to the Federal Government.

The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development said despite all their concerted efforts of averting the consequence of the 2022 flooding season, over 2,540,950 persons were displaced.

Briefing journalists in Abuja, the minister, Hajiya Sadiya Farouq, lamented that the damage has affected more than 140, 000 hectares of farmland, while so many roads and other critical infrastructures have been destroyed.

She said “You all will recall that on Tuesday, 15th February 2022, the Nigerian Metrological Agency released the 2022 Seasonal Climate Prediction informing us that the rains of 2022 will be heavier and longer. Furthermore, on Thursday, 12th May 2022, the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency released the Annual Flood Outlook.

“Immediately after these two releases, the National Emergency Management Agency was all out, armed with the scientific releases from the two Agencies, in the media and went to all States and FCT, warning of expected floods and advising on mitigating and preparedness actions they need to take to minimize losses and damages.

“I also briefed the National Economic Council on 22nd September 2022, where I outlined preparedness strategies that all State Governments should take to mitigate the 2022 floods.

“I have laid this background so that you will appreciate the concern of this Ministry that despite all these efforts, we still appear to have become overwhelmed by the flood when it came.

“However, in response to the 2022 flood situation, I directed the Permanent Secretary to convene an emergency technical stakeholder meeting of all responsive Agencies to strategies immediate response to the situation. That meeting was held on the 11th of October 2022 and they all have formulated plans and strategies for response.

“Although flood has become an annual disaster with devastating consequences and the effect of Climate Change makes it difficult to prevent in Nigeria, it can be mitigated and managed;

“There was enough warning and information about the 2022 flood but States, Local Governments, and Communities appear not to take heed; thus the meeting agreed to form a high-powered delegation to State Governors to advocate for more commitment to strengthen state response mechanisms as stipulated in the National Flood Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan;

“Stakeholders will work within their respective mandates to prevent deaths due to flood or other health-related diseases that are the aftermath. We must initiate a bilateral discussion with authorities in Cameroon next month (November 2022) on the periodic opening of the Lagdo dam.

“The delegation to Cameroon is to be led by the Permanent Secretary and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be requested to facilitate it. For a coordinated flood response protocol, the meeting agreed to implement the National Flood Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan.

“Accordingly, the sectoral approach to flood management at the National and Sub-National levels must be implemented. It was further emphasized that there was a need for state governments to invest in flood management and lead on community base flood early warning systems; hence the meeting called on state governments to take greater responsibility for flood preparedness and response.

“It was agreed that it has become necessary to compel all State Governments to strengthen their SEMAs and LEMCs through a legal instrument so that they can have improved access to funds and personnel for effective disaster preparedness and response;

“We mourn the unfortunate boat mishap in Anambra State and other locations, please we must note that we are not completely out of the wood. Because the Metrological Agencies are warning that States like Anambra, Delta, Cross River, Rivers, and Bayelsa are still at risk of experiencing floods up till the end of November.

“So, we are calling on the respective state governments, LGAs, and communities to prepare by evacuating people living on flood plains to high grounds, providing tents and relief materials, fresh water as well as medical supply for the possible outbreak of water borne disease.

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*Nigerians groan from devastating effects, seek govt’s assistance to check misery

•Anambra
More than 25, 000 victims of the flood disaster that ravaged over 10 out of 21 local government areas of Anambra State have raised the alarm over the dearth of drugs, food, and bedding materials at the various internally displaced persons ((IDP) camps set up by the state government for their safety.

One of our correspondents, who visited the Rev Fr Joseph Memorial High School, Umueri, Umuoba Anam, and Umueze Anam camps, all in Anambra-East and those of Anambra-West local government areas of the state, learnt that there was the absence of officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) at the various camps except for the first visit with Governor Charles Soludo to the areas since the past two weeks.

Sadly, the victims sleep in the open on top of bridges and middle of the roads with the possible looming epidemics and malnutrition due to extreme exposure to cold and hunger.

They also alleged the diversion of relief materials meant for them to other areas.

In Anambra-East and West, the majority of the victims who converged on Umueze Anam Bridge and Otuocha Daily Market bridge road have been sleeping in the open for over two weeks due to the absence of shelter.

At Umueze Anam Bridge, residents in the area built cubicles and make-shift beds where nursing mothers and old people pass the night.

At the Otuocha Daily market, the traders and market women have been sacked by the flood even as they do their businesses along the Otuocha-Awkuzu road.

A market woman, Mrs Nkiruka Kwalo in an interview at the banks of the Omabala River; said, “We are not happy at all because those relief materials are being diverted to an interview place and our people are dying of hunger and what we also need is money to go back to the farm when the flood reseeds.

“Most of us sleep on the top of this bridge and so many mosquitoes and our children are exposed to all types of illness and nobody is coming to our aid,” she said.

Also, at the Unity Hall in Umuoba Anam, community leaders were seen battling to control hordes of little children struggling for sachets of noodles, along with nursing mothers even as they complained bitterly of hunger and lack of shelter.

The President-General of Umuoba Anam, Mr Victor Omenwa, told journalists that out of 1,200 displaced persons in the camp in the primary school, only 37 matrasses were provided for them.

They decried the situation where the rest sleep on the floor.

According to him, “We are managing the much we could do but the number is too much and we only have 37 matrass for 1,200 persons so the rest sleep on the floor.”

He said, “The governor visited us about a week ago and they promised to bring more as well as food and we are still waiting for them. We need food for the children and we thank those who have been coming to help us.”

Multiple choice buildings worth several billions of naira have been submerged and destroyed by the flood across the state.

About 25 persons died from the flood which wrecked many homes, businesses, churches, and schools.

Several schools have been shut down by the state government due to the flood.

The state government appears helpless as a result of the massive effect of the submerged buildings, hospitals, public and private institutions, and business centres.

Anambra state has recorded the worst effect of the flood disaster this year after the 2012 episode with 10 LGAs hit by the present menace.

*Niger

In Niger State, floods reportedly destroyed more than 1,500 graves at a cemetery in the Mariga area.

The floods followed days of torrential rains in the area.

An eyewitness said that more than 500 graves have been swept away by the floods in the past week alone.

The Chief Imam of the town, Alhassan Musa Na’ibi said that about 1,000 decomposed bodies had been reburied.

Musa Na’ibi, said the cemetery had never experienced such devastation since its establishment 500 years ago though is it located near a river.

Residents say recent gold mining activities near the cemetery have also made it vulnerable as the ground became weakened.

•Kogi
Nigerians who ply the Lokoja /Abuja road either to South-South, South-East, or South-West narrated their ordeal following the overflow of the River Benue/Niger that submerged houses and the express road.

Momoh Abdullazees, who operates restaurants in Lokoja, said he is grounded as the flood submerged the building causing a lot of damage.

“Oga, I have lost all I laboured for. Everything in this building, including my business worth over N200m, is gone. As you can see, nothing came out. I am begging the state and federal government to come to our aid.”

A truck driver, Umar Basil, said, “We thought we could manage to pass, but the tempo of the flooding increased and we were trapped. It has caused a lot of damage to our vehicles.”

A petrol station owner, who identified himself as Musa said, “It is a terrible experience for me, you can see this filling station is submerged by the flood. The PMS product worth half a billion is now mixed with water. The water is at the roof and that also tells you that everything in that building is lost including the supermarket.”

•Bayelsa
Residents of some communities in Bayelsa State affected by the flood are appealing to the government to find a lasting solution to the menace.

Some of them who spoke to ThisNigeria via telephone pleaded that they are provided with temporary shelters and relief materials as the flood has already sacked them from their homes.

Already, some places such as Biseni, the Tombia-Amassoma Road, Akenfa, Akenpai, Igbogene, Swali in Yenagoa, and towns such as Kaiama, Odi, Otuoke, Kolo, and other Ogbia communities are facing the menace with Rivers and tributaries such as the River Nun and the Epie Creek full to the brim.

Many communities in Sagbama, Ekeremor, and Kolokuma-Opokuma Local Government Areas are equally impacted.

There are already casualties from the flood disaster in Bayelsa State.

Reports say a woman identified as Mrs Uwaoma Johnson, a native of Akwa-Ibom State, and a mother of three, lost her life as she was swept away by erosion in the Obogoro community at about 4am on Thursday last week.

A six-month-old baby left at home by the mother, reportedly drowned in the house while a 16-year-old boy also lost his life in incidents that took place in Yenagoa.

A victim, Mrs Perez Ayebanua, said the flood waters which came to their houses late last month had taken its toll on inhabitants with reptiles also competing with them for space.

Meanwhile, some sections of the Bayelsa stretch of the East-West Road have been cut off. Also, the Patani section, a town in Delta State that shares a boundary with Bayelsa communities such as Adagbabiri is already submerged by water.

The Mbiama Bridge that connects many Engenne communities in Rivers State to Bayelsa is also being threatened by the rampaging flood waters from the river underneath which is full to the brim.

Meanwhile, Schools in Bayelsa are on a six-week break to protect pupils and students from the flood disaster.

In the meantime, the Bayelsa State Task Force on Flood Mitigation and Management has visited some affected communities for an on-the-spot assessment of the impact.

Communities visited in Yenagoa and Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Areas included Tombia-Ekpetiama, Odi, Sampou, Kaiama, Gbaranma Sabagreia, Okoloba, Biseni, and neighbouring communities as well as some areas within the Yenagoa metropolis.

Commissioner for Environment and Chairman of the Task Force, Iselema Gbaranbiri, lamented the impact of the flooding in the Biseni community, which he said was almost totally submerged.

Gbaranbiri sympathised with the people of the area on behalf of the Governor, who he said was passionate about their well-being hence the setting up of the task force on flood mitigation on Wednesday during the state executive council meeting.

On Friday, Governor Diri restated his proposal for a post-flood management roundtable between worst-hit states and the federal government.

The Bayelsa governor said such discourse had become necessary due to the infrastructure damage and the number of state resources deployed in tackling the flood menace.

He spoke as he continued his on-the-spot assessment tour to Southern Ijaw Local Government Area and other Yenagoa Local Government Area communities.

Areas visited included the Amassoma road leading to the Niger Delta University (NDU), which has been cut off at three points along the road and left commuters stranded.

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Diri said the unfortunate incident would prevent the resumption of lectures at the university now that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has called off its eight-month-old strike.

While lamenting the huge cost of fixing the damaged roads by his government, Diri stressed that individual losses of property and deaths would be minimal if a permanent solution was immediately adopted.

•Rivers
Over 200 communities in four local councils of Rivers State, namely– Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni (ONELGA), Ahoada West, Ahoada East, and Abual Odual– have been displaced by ravaging flood.

The affected communities include Usomini, Omoku, Obrikom, parts of Egi, and Egbema Ndoni in ONELGA. This is as findings show that Mbiama, Akinima, Akioniso, and Oruama in Ahoada West have been submerged, rendering thousands homeless, and without food.

Also, six persons lost their lives while trying to cross through the flood to the road at Ihuike community in the Ahaoda axis of the East-West road.

An eyewitness said a woman and her son were swept off by the flood. While the baby was later found dead, the mother has since remained missing.
It was also gathered that eight persons in a boat were also swept off by a flood, leaving four dead while others survived.

The Orashi region of the state comprising the three councils experienced the worst flooding in 2012 where several lives were lost. Also, in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2020, flooding wreaked havoc in Rivers State but no concrete action was taken by the government to address it.

While many homes were still battling to recover from the damages from the past years, the state has again been hit by flooding. For instance, In ONELGA, over 20 communities have been submerged with bridges, roads, farms, and schools covered by water. Several farmlands have been washed off and many artisans were rendered jobless when their shops were submerged. The development has also become a threat to food security.

One of the flood victims, Mrs. Justina Wilfred said: “We have lost everything we have, no shelter, no food, nothing. It is disheartening.”

Some of the flood victims have appealed to Governor Nyesom Wike to ensure that the N1bn he approved for emergency relief measures to support flood victims in the local councils be monitored to ensure it gets to victims.

Wike had last Thursday approved N1bn for flood victims and also set up a Task Force to coordinate the distribution of relief materials to affected communities in the state.
•Delta
Meanwhile, flood victims are counting their losses in Delta State.
No fewer than six persons have reportedly died as the devastation took its toll across Ndokwa-East LGA where it affected 73 communities.

Other areas affected in the state include some parts of Asaba, the state capital, Patani, Uzere, Araya, Igbide, Enwhe, Oleh, Olomoro, Irri, Emede, and other communities in Isoko-South LGA.

In Ughelli North LGA, communities affected include Uwheru, Unenurhie, and Asa, among others. Farmlands and properties worth millions of naira have been lost to the flood.

Roads leading to some of the areas have been completely cut off with residents now resorting to the use of canoes to evacuate trapped members of their families. The ever-busy Ugbolu/Illah Road, Oshimili North LGA has been cut off.

One of the affected victims in Ndokwa-East, who identified himself as Chuks Mathew, lamented that farmers were forced to prematurely harvest their produce.

He said the majority of the affected victims have had to hurriedly relocate from their homes, adding, “From the look of things, this might be equivalent or even worse than the 2012 flooding. Many communities along the River Niger are already losing invaluable traditional ancestral assets due to the flood. This is a national emergency.”