The head of the Kogi State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Mr. Mouktar Atima, has said that floods have completely covered the Ibaji Local Government Area. He warned people living near the river to leave their homes and move to safer places immediately.
Mr. Atima led an emergency team on a visit to the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Adams Abdullazeez. He said the state is now in danger because the water levels in Rivers Niger and Benue are rising quickly.
He explained that experts and dam managers have predicted that more water will start flowing into the Rivers Niger and Benue from Tuesday night. This will likely cause the rivers to overflow and flood nearby communities.
So far, 258 communities in eight local government areas have been identified as likely to experience flooding. To help those affected, the state has set up 42 camps for displaced people and has opened an emergency operations center.
He mentioned that five communities in Ibaji Local Government Area have been badly affected by the flood. These include Ota, Ofogbo, Itidma, and Owara in Kotonkarfi Local Government Area.
Mr. Atima stressed that the Ministry of Health plays an important role in disaster response. He told the health commissioner that water levels are expected to rise even more in the next 72 hours, making the situation worse.
He thanked the health commissioner for his quick actions and support, saying it helped save lives last year during the floods, as no one died.
Dr. Adams Adeiza Abdullazeez, the Health Commissioner, responded by saying that his ministry is not only focused on healthcare, but also on helping people in times of crisis. He said they are ready to handle any disaster that may happen.
He said they have already started spraying disinfectants in all 42 IDP camps to prevent disease. The ministry has also prepared staff and supplies to help any flood victims.
Dr. Abdullazeez added that the ministry is aware that diseases could break out in the camps. But he assured that they are fully prepared to handle such situations.
He praised Governor Usman Ododo for always supporting health issues in the state. He said that because the governor responded quickly during last year’s flood, no lives were lost.
He added, “We thank our governor for acting fast. While other states lost lives during the flood, Kogi actually recorded new lives — two women gave birth to twins in the IDP camps.”
