Salam Dogara Muhammad, village head of Kwanka in the Lafia Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, has pleaded with the federal and state governments to take preventative actions to safeguard vulnerable communities from the imminent disaster, as worries grow over predictions of heavy rainfall and potential flooding across the nation.
The traditional monarch made the plea while discussing the community’s ongoing flooding problems, stressing that inhabitants are still vulnerable to another tragic event unless immediate action is taken.
He claims that devastating flooding has been a persistent problem in Kwanka for many years, leading to human casualties, property damage, and the forced relocation of locals.
Three years ago, after many days of heavy rains swept through the region, three locals were killed in a devastating flood, according to Malam Muhammad.
He went on to say that the accident levelled a large number of homes, displacing entire families and compelling others to look for safety elsewhere.
According to the village chief, people started to worry when they heard the latest weather predictions from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), which foretold heavy rain and potential floods across the nation.
We are pleading with the authorities to intervene on our behalf before anything else terrible happens. We do not want to see another loss of lives, as we have suffered immensely from flooding in the past,” he stated.
Deep erosion channels and gullies have been left around the neighbourhood as a result of continuous flooding, he said, exacerbating environmental deterioration and making residents more vulnerable during the rainy season.
He claims that the destroyed terrain now endangers nearby houses, farms, roadways, and other infrastructure.
In order to ensure that similar catastrophes do not happen again, the traditional ruler has urged the proper authorities to conduct an immediate evaluation and implement mitigation strategies. This includes emergency management agencies, environmental specialists, and disaster response bodies.
In order to prevent loss of life and property, he emphasised the need of swift action through flood management programs, erosion control projects, and drainage construction.
As the rainiest part of the year draws near, locals are worried about the impending disaster and have called on government institutions to take immediate action to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe.
Authorities in charge of weather and disaster management have been sounding the alarm about the increased likelihood of flooding in multiple states due to the countrywide increase in rainfall, prompting this request.