The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has urged residents of flood-prone communities across Nigeria to relocate to safer, higher ground as heavy rainfall intensifies, warning that ignoring early flood alerts could result in avoidable deaths and widespread destruction of property.
NEMA Director-General Zubaida Umar said the current phase of the rainy season requires communities at risk to activate flood preparedness measures and strictly follow warnings issued by relevant government agencies. She advised residents to move to safer locations whenever flooding threatens and cautioned against driving or walking through floodwaters, as well as dumping refuse into drainage channels, which worsens flooding.
The agency also directed its zonal offices to intensify public awareness campaigns, strengthen collaboration with State Emergency Management Agencies (SEMAs), Local Emergency Management Committees, traditional institutions and other stakeholders, and coordinate timely search-and-rescue operations where necessary.
The warning comes as the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) and the Federal Ministry of Environment have identified dozens of states and hundreds of communities as being at risk of flooding during the peak of the rainy season. The alert follows a series of devastating flood disasters in recent years that have claimed lives, displaced thousands of people and destroyed homes, farms and critical infrastructure.
Recurring floods expose longstanding shortcomings in environmental planning, drainage infrastructure and disaster preparedness. While early warnings and emergency evacuations are essential for saving lives, reducing the impact of flooding also requires sustained public investment in drainage systems, climate adaptation, urban planning, erosion control and resilient infrastructure. Protecting vulnerable communities depends not only on emergency responses but also on long-term policies that prioritise public safety, environmental sustainability and the welfare of those most exposed to climate-related disasters.
