The Federal Ministry of Environment on Saturday in Abuja announced a
prediction of heavy rainfall which could cause flooding between now and
Oct. 27 in 19 states and the FCT.Dr Morohunkeji Oyeleke, the ministry’s Deputy Director, Erosion,
Flood and Coastal Zone Management, made the announcement in a statement.
The ministry identified the states as Kaduna, Kwara, Benue, Borno,
Oyo, Niger, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Taraba, Lagos, Osun, Bauchi, Sokoto,
Plateau, Adamawa, Gombe, Imo, Ogun and Kebbi.
It also identified in specific terms some areas that could be
affected as Sakaba in Kebbi, Sagamu in Ogun, Okigwe in Imo and Nafada in
Gombe state.Other areas are Kari and Kirfi in Bauchi state, Makira in Sokoto
state,Shelleng and Shendam in Plateau, and Mubi and Numan in Adamawa.
The ministry also listed Donga, Lau and Mutum-Biyu in Taraba, Etiosa, Lekki and Surulere in Lagos state and Igbo-Ora in Osun.It further listed Briyel in Bukuru and Otukpo in Benue, Calabar in
Cross River and Eket, Etinan, Ikot-Nakada, Itu and Oron areas of Akwa
Ibom.
The flood-prone areas included Abaji, Kwali, Bwari, Mabushi, Kukwaba, Guzape, Karu, Kuje, Kurudu and Lugbe in the FCT.
The ministry also said areas which could be affected by the
downpour-induced flood included Apata, Bodija, Challenge, Eleyele,
Moniya, Aiyete, Eruwa, Iseyin, Kisi and Ogbomoso in Oyo state.It also listed Bida, Katcha, Kontagora, Mashegu and Sarki Pawa, all
in Niger, Birnin Gwari, Kaduna, Jemaa, Kachia in Kaduna state and Bode
Saadu, Ilorin, Kosubosu and Lafiaji in Kwara.
The ministry appealed to the governments in the identified states to
take all necessary precautionary measures to avoid any untold hardship.
It added that adherence to similar warnings in the past had saved many peoples’ lives and property.
