The Executive Secretary of the Kogi State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Alhaji Mouktar Atima, has confirmed that floods have completely submerged Ibaji Local Government Area in the state’s eastern senatorial district. He warned residents living along the riverbanks to urgently relocate to safer areas.
Atima, who led the Emergency Response and Critical team on a visit to the State Commissioner of Health, Dr. Adams Abdullazeez, said the situation had become critical due to the rising water levels in the Rivers Niger and Benue.
According to him, hydrological charts and reports from dam managers across the country indicated that more water would be released into the Rivers Niger and Benue starting Tuesday night, which could cause further overflow.
He stated, “258 communities in eight local government areas of the state have been marked as flood-prone areas while 42 internally displaced persons’ (IDPs) camps have been constructed to take care of those to be displaced while an emergency operations centre has been opened.”
”Already, five communities in Ibaji Local Government Area were worst hit including Ota, Ofogbo, Itima and Owara community in Kogi Local Government Area of the state.”
Atima stressed the importance of the Ministry of Health in disaster management, noting that the next 72 hours would be especially challenging as water levels continue to rise. He praised the health commissioner for proactive measures, saying such efforts were responsible for zero casualties during last year’s flooding.
In his response, Dr. Abdullazeez said the Ministry of Health was not only about healthcare delivery but also human services, emphasizing its preparedness to manage disasters. He revealed that the ministry had begun fumigation of all 42 IDP camps and fully mobilised personnel and resources to support potential victims.
He said, “My ministry is aware that there may be outbreak of diseases or epidemic in the various IDP camps and we are fully prepared.”
The commissioner praised Governor Usman Ododo for his dedication to health issues, emphasizing that his swift intervention during last year’s floods was key in preventing any loss of life.
“We commend our governor for his prompt response and usual assistance to the ministry; it was indeed his quick intervention that averted loss of lives in last year’s flood, while many states recorded loss of lives, Kogi recorded additional lives as two women in the IDP gave birth to twins,” he said.
