Flood: Yobe, Adamawa, Borno unveil emergency response strategies

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The Yobe, Adamawa, and Borno governments have rolled out various emergency response plans to tackle the impending flooding in the states.

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They made this known while responding to the News of Nigeria (NAN) survey on the state government’s preparedness to tackle the natural disaster.

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NAN reports that the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency have earlier predicted floods, wind, storms and prolonged dry spells in some parts of the country.

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Dr Ibrahim Jalo, Director, Search and Rescue Operations, Yobe State Emergency Management Agency (YOSEMA), said the agency had deployed real-time river monitoring digital platforms in riverine communities.

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Jalo said the agency engaged critical stakeholders, including security agencies, ministries, persons with disabilities groups and humanitarian partners to strengthen disaster response.

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The director added that Local Government Areas Early Warning and Action Committees had also been activated and trained to improve grassroots emergency response.

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He said the state government directed the agency to set aside relief materials and food items, targeting 60,000 households.

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Jalo added that 7,400 sandbags had also been earmarked for establishing embankments in vulnerable communities.

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According to him, relief materials are being positioned in Damaturu, Potiskum and Geidam to ensure quick access during emergencies.

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Jalo said the agency had mapped out community leaders and emergency contacts to improve communication and reduce response time during disasters.

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The director said the agency had planned to evacuate people residing in 12 flood-prone areas to higher ground.

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He said the agency had already identified safe locations for the evacuees in Gujba, Damaturu, Bursari, Geidam, Yunusari, Fika, Potiskum, Jakusko, Bade, Gulani, Karasuwa and Machina.

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Jalo appealed to residents to heed early warning information and cooperate with emergency officials during possible evacuations.

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The Adamawa government, on the other hand, said it will soon commence demolition of houses built on waterways as part of efforts to mitigate floods.

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Mrs Syngana Dahdah, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, told NAN that residents whose houses were earlier marked for demolition and compensation must vacate immediately.

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She said the ministry had forwarded a memo to Gov. Ahmadu Fintiri on desilting drains in Yola and reconstruction of drainages along the Shagari and Yolde Pate axis.

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Dahdah said the areas experienced severe flooding in 2025 due to blocked drains and poor water flow.

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The permanent secretary said arrangements were concluded by the ministry to also demolish embankments built on some farms for irrigation purposes.

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She said that such embankments were built on waterways, thereby triggering floods in some parts of the state.

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Meanwhile, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has just concluded an awareness campaign on disaster preparedness, early warning systems and risk reduction measures in Yola-North and Yola-South local government areas.

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Mr Suleiman Yakubu, NEMA Zonal Director, told NAN that the exercise was part of the ongoing National Preparedness and Response Campaign (NPRC) 2026.

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He said the sensitisation, targeting flooding and related hazards common during the rainy season, benefited Makama, Mbamba, Angwan Tarbo, Shagari, Rimawa and Gbonrinji communities.

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In Borno, hundreds of residents have been evacuated from flood-prone communities of Dikwa to safer shelters in order to reduce their exposure to recurring seasonal flooding.

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The Director-General of the Borno State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Ali Abdullahi, said the intervention formed part of a broader disaster risk reduction strategy aimed at protecting lives and property.

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He said the agency continued to provide food and other relief materials to residents of the Kala Balge community, which battled with annual floods due to the release of water from Cameroon.

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Abdullahi said massive drainage clearance was conducted in Maiduguri by the agency to prevent blockage of waterways.

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The director-general said major flood-prone areas of Ajilari Cross, Kopa and Bulumkutu-Dala had received targeted interventions, including drainage desilting and construction of improved drainage infrastructure.

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“Ajilari Cross, Kopa and Bulumkutu-Dala remain some of the most vulnerable areas during the rainy season.

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“We are currently expanding drainage systems and clearing blocked waterways to reduce the impact of flooding,” he said. (NAN)

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