Floods of anguish, even before the Niger rises

“I will wait for the flood to take over this house completely before packing my property. I have no place to go right now,” says Fatai Amodu, a taxi driver residing at Adankolo area of Lokoja. These words may seem flippant, but he’s is a case of hopelessness, just like many others who have become […]

“I will wait for the flood to take over this house completely before packing my property. I have no place to go right now,” says Fatai Amodu, a taxi driver residing at Adankolo area of Lokoja. These words may seem flippant, but he’s is a case of hopelessness, just like many others who have become accustomed to watching their houses submerged by recurring flood.  
In Kogi State, visit to residents living in the flood prone areas – close to River Niger – informs that they live in fear of the great river. In the heat of this fear are Adankolo, Gadumo and Ganaja villages, and for justified reasons. Within the walls of some partially submerged houses close to the river’s bank, their courageous occupants remain while others move. Like Amodu, their courage only appears to exist for the simple fact that they lack anywhere else to go.    
Surprisingly, among those leaving their houses are those unaffected by the flood too. But their reason is not far-fetched. They were the victims caught unawares by the 2012 flood. That year alone, records show nine local governments of the State affected. They included, Ibaji, Lokoja, Kotonkarfe, Ajaokuta, Idah, Igalamela, Ofu, Bassa and Omala. Then, farm produce worth N1 billion were destroyed.   
Residents of some of those areas recount pathetic experiences of the 2012 episode. Amodu has gradually become the man with the perfect escape plan: “In 2012 when my house was submerged, I slept inside my car till the water receded,” he says and adds. “All the promises made by the government were not fulfilled.”
Adams Abdullahi, a resident of Gadumo, describes their state as one of ‘sleeping with one eye closed.’ He reveals that the government did not provide an alternative place for them as promised after the 2012 flood and so their prayer is just for the situation to be endurable this time. And he is not alone. Others, like Christian Adejoh, a housewife who lives in a rented house – they manage to afford – with her family, prayer remains their only fortitude.  
“Since the water has not taken over this area by now, I believe we will not experience flood. At this period in 2012 all the houses in this area were already submerged,” explains Adejoh. “We only hear on television that the government has been sensitizing residents against the flood which is not true. The only people that always come here to talk to us are journalists.”
Another tenant, Joseph Emmanuel, a student of Kogi State Polytechnic, lives at Adankolo, an area where some houses are already sitting inside the water. “As you can see we are three tenants in this house but the other two have packed out. I wanted to leave but I don’t have the money to pay for another accommodation. I am praying that the flood should allowed me to write my examination before it finally comes,”
This is the situation in these flood prone communities of Kogi State where some have no option but to hold on to hope while others simply leave. Not everyone hangs on to hope like Adejoh. At Ganaja, Mallam Abdullahi recalls 2012, what he went through then, and emphasizes: “from all indications, it is certain that the flood will come, so I don’t see the need to wait. I did not hesitate to relocate my family and property to my brother’s house.”
But the Executive Secretary, Kogi State Emergency Management Agency (KOSEMA), Alice Ogedengbe, says the agency is better prepared to handle flood cases this year. She assures that they are monitoring the water level on a daily bases in order not to be caught unawares and added that the agency had carried out sensitization campaign through to the nine local governments affected by flood in 2012.
Also, the Kogi State Government reveals that it is working hard to ensure that the State does not witness another reoccurrence of 2012 flood.  The state Deputy Governor, Yomi Awoniyi, who is also the Chairman, Flood Management Committee, assures that measures have been put in place by government to ensure that lives and properties are protected in the event of another flood. That the Flood Management Committee is constantly meeting to review the flood situation, while risk analysis conducted on the water level, assures that there is no present need for panic.
Awoniyi added that they are constantly in touch with NIMET, NEMA and all the Dam operators to further evaluate the risks, saying that the State is for now, not under threat of flood. “The State government has intensified its campaign for people living in flood-prone areas in the nine Local Government Areas of the state to be at alert. Also, the State Government flood Housing Estate is now ready for allocation and other places have been identified as camp sites in the event of a flood,” he intimates.
But while noting that several warnings have been issued to those living in flood prone areas to relocate, Awoniyi says it requires a lot of tact and persuasion, as some of those affected are already attached to their places of abode. He however appealed to those living in such areas to relocate as the devastating effect of 2012 flood have served as points of conviction of the harmful consequences of living in such flood-prone areas.

“Government will in the future, have no choice but to pull down such buildings and legislate on living in such areas,” he informs.
While some communities of Kogi State grapple with their present predicament, Bauchi State also deals with same dilemma. This is evident in the words of the Chairman, State Emergency Management committee (SEMA) for distribution of relief Materials, Alhaji Muhammad Inuwa Bello when he revealed that “flood has affected 63 communities in nine local Government Areas of Bauchi State during the 2014 rainy season with 210 individuals affected. He says the State Government had procured Relief Materials worth 58,250,000 that will be distributed to the affected communities.
Bauchi is one of the states that have faced the challenges of flooding every year, from 2012 to 2014. This has affected many communities and destroyed lives and properties in various parts. In 2013 SEMA’s initial assessment recorded that nine people lost their lives, with 17 injured, 3250 internally displaced persons, 2217 farmlands submerged, 1529 houses affected In Bauchi State with the worst affected communities being Kore and Madifa who are always cut off from the state by flood. Presently, both local and state governments are working hard with the Federal Government to relocate communities of flood-prone areas following the heavy floods that engulfed some communities in 2013. These include Madifa and kore in Jama’are and Zaki Local Government Areas.
It was gathered that these communities are facing imminent displacement as a result of flooding of River Jama’are which has become an annual event. Residents say they have to use canoes to reach other parts of the State and many times have lost their properties, including houses and animals which were washed away by the flood.
Flooding in years past across the country, especially that around River Niger, which displaced many in their homes in Kogi, Benue, Edo and Imo states. In years past, the worst recent floods in Plateau State occurred in July and August 2012 in the state capital, Jos and in towns and villages in the southern part of the state respectively.
Torrential rain wreaked havoc overnight in July 2012 in communities on the northern edge of Jos. The flood which was considered the worst in the area in living memory claimed dozens of lives and washed homes away in Gangare and Rikkos, following an overflow of the River Rikkos that runs round the affected communities, after hours of the heavy rainfall.
The Rikkos flood was followed a month later by an even more destructive one which resulted also from a rainfall and swept through six local government areas of southern Plateau, causing similarly high human casualty, washing away homes and farmlands in the otherwise heavily cultivated southern Plateau plains.
Neither of the two floods appeared, however, to have had anything to do with either arm of the rivers Niger or Benue. This would be because the Benue arm which runs close to the southern parts of Plateau State is several kilometres away from any Plateau community.
The Director-General, Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NHISA) John Ayo-Ade Shamonda, says that River Niger is expected to rise when flowing from Guinea and Mali and would get to Nigeria by December or January. “What is happening in Lokoja and Makurdi is as a result of the thunder storm seen recently,” he assured.