In a devastating turn of events, at least 49 lives have been lost and thousands displaced across Nigeria in 2024 due to severe flooding, as heavy rains ravaged the northeastern regions. The National Emergency Management Authority (NEMA) confirmed the alarming figures, highlighting the tragic impact of this year’s floods.
The flooding, which has displaced over 41,000 people and submerged vast farmlands, has reignited a national outcry over the gross mismanagement of ecological funds by state governments—funds that were meant to mitigate such disasters. Despite repeated allocations, including a recent N3 billion injection from the federal government to bolster flood defenses, the lack of accountability from state leaders remains a glaring issue.
This crisis isn’t new; Nigeria has grappled with devastating floods in recent years, notably in 2022, where lives were lost, and properties worth billions were destroyed. Yet, the ecological funds, amounting to a staggering N64 billion between 2021 and 2022, seem to have made little impact, as states continue to falter in disaster preparedness and response.
NEMA’s spokesperson, Manzo Ezekiel, reported that three states—Jigawa, Adamawa, and Taraba—have been particularly hard hit, with the situation likely to worsen as the peak of the rainy season approaches. “We are just entering into the peak of the season, particularly in the northern part of the country, and the situation is very dire,” Ezekiel remarked, painting a grim picture of the challenges ahead.
In addition to the human toll, the floods have ravaged around 693 hectares of agricultural land, threatening food security in already vulnerable regions. The government had earlier warned that 31 out of the country’s 36 states were at high risk of severe flooding this year, a prediction that is now tragically unfolding.
Ezekiel further noted the rising water levels in the River Niger and its tributaries, flowing towards Nigeria from neighboring countries, which are exacerbating the situation. “We are beginning to see a manifestation of our predictions,” he said, as the nation braces for what could be one of its most challenging flood seasons yet.
This catastrophe underscores a critical need for transparency and effective management of ecological funds, as well as an urgent overhaul of the country’s disaster preparedness strategies, to prevent further loss of life and destruction.
PIONEER NEWS 