Nigerian Authorities Warn of Water Release from Cameroon’s Lagdo Dam, Urge Vigilance in Anambra, Kogi, Nine Other States

The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) has issued a public warning regarding the controlled release of water from the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon, set to begin today, September 17, 2024. According to NIHSA’s Director General, Umar Ibrahim Mohammed, the initial water release will be at a rate of 100 cubic metres per second (equivalent to 8.64 million cubic metres per day), with this rate potentially increasing to 1,000 cubic metres per second over the next seven days, depending on inflows from the Garoua River.

While authorities have assured the public that the release will be regulated to avoid exceeding the capacity of the Benue River and causing major downstream flooding in Nigeria, NIHSA has urged vigilance in 11 states. These states—Adamawa, Taraba, Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, Edo, Delta, Anambra, Bayelsa, Cross River, and Rivers—are located along the Benue River system and are most likely to be impacted.

NIHSA emphasized that although the water levels are currently within safe warning limits, government agencies at all levels must enhance their preparedness to mitigate any potential flood risks. The water release will be stopped once inflows to the Lagdo reservoir significantly decrease.

In a statement, NIHSA reassured the public that “there is no cause for alarm” as the situation is under control. However, the agency will continue to monitor the water levels closely and provide regular updates to prevent any unforeseen flood-related disasters.