Over 49 people have tragically lost their lives, and thousands have been displaced following heavy rains that triggered severe flooding in Nigeria, especially the northeastern part, according to the National Emergency Management Authority (NEMA). The states of Jigawa, Adamawa, and Taraba have been particularly hard-hit, with NEMA spokesperson Manzo Ezekiel confirming that 41,344 people have been forced from their homes due to the rising waters.
This disaster comes as Nigeria is still reeling from the devastating floods of 2022, which claimed over 600 lives, displaced 1.4 million people, and ravaged 440,000 hectares of farmland.
“We are just entering the peak of the rainy season, especially in northern Nigeria, and the situation is extremely critical,” Ezekiel told Reuters, raising concerns about the worsening crisis.
In addition to the loss of life and homes, the floods have destroyed approximately 693 hectares of farmland, a devastating blow to a country already grappling with soaring food prices and double-digit inflation. The situation in the farming sector has been compounded by farmers abandoning their land in the northeast due to ongoing militant attacks.
Nigeria’s government has warned that 31 of its 36 states are at risk of severe flooding this year. Ezekiel also highlighted concerns about rising water levels in the upper regions of the River Niger, warning that all of these factors are contributing to the current flooding crisis. “We’re starting to see the effects of the predictions we made earlier,” he said.
As Nigeria braces for more rain and flooding, the need for urgent action to mitigate the impacts on communities and the economy has never been more pressing.
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