Kogi State Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Sanusi Yahaya, has said that over 150 communities have been submerged following flood in nine Local Government Areas of the State.
Sanusi Yahaya, who spoke to newsmen today, September 21 after a stakeholders meeting at the state emergency operation centre in Lokoja, the state capital,said that the centre had been activated as the state is already experiencing flood emergency.
The commissioner, who is also the State Coordinator of the Emergency Operation Centre (EOC), said that out of the nine local government areas located along the banks of River Niger and Benue, seven of them are severely affected.
He said the local governments that are severely affected are Ibaji, Kogi Koton Karfe, Lokoja, Ofu, Ajaokuta, Omala and Idah, saying over 90 per cent of Ibaji communities have been submerged.
”Particularly, majority of communities at Ibaji are under water, and many households have been affected and displaced.
“As we speak, the water level has risen very high to about 10.60m on Saturday in Lokoja from the report of the Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA).
“In the last few days, many communities, settlements have been displaced as a result of flooding.”
He said that over 20 camps had been opened by the government to accommodate flood victims, which were spread across the nine affected LGAs.
Yahaya advised residents of flood-prone areas and affected communities to relocate to safer places or move to the nearest camps opened by the state and local governments, to avoid loss of lives and property.
He said that with the activation of the state emergency centre, the state was collaborating with all the relevant stakeholders to ensure timely and appropriate responses.
