Full List: FG Warns 915 Communities in 19 States, FCT Face Critical Flood Risk
- The National Flood Early Warning Systems Centre classified 915 communities across 19 states and the FCT as being at critical flood risk between August 27 and September 9, 2026
- Major cities including Lagos, Port Harcourt, Lokoja, Makurdi, Onitsha and Ibadan are among the communities placed on the critical-risk list
- The federal government urged residents in affected areas to verify evacuation routes, protect valuables, and comply with instructions from emergency authorities
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The Federal Government has placed 915 communities in 19 states and the Federal Capital Territory on a critical flood alert covering the period from August 27 to September 9, 2026, calling on residents in those areas to act immediately and prepare for possible evacuation.
The National Flood Early Warning Systems Centre issued the classification, which requires immediate watch, preparedness and protective action from affected communities.
As reported by Vanguard, beyond the critical tier, another 429 communities across seven states were designated high risk, while 656 communities in 13 states were placed on a moderate-risk watch.
States on critical flood alert
The 19 states flagged as critical risk are Kogi, Benue, Rivers, Edo, Delta, Cross River, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo, Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo.
Among the major cities and communities listed are Lokoja, Makurdi, Port Harcourt, Benin City, Asaba, Calabar, Yenagoa, Uyo, Aba, Onitsha, Enugu, Owerri, Lagos, Abeokuta, Akure, Osogbo and Ibadan.
The advisory, signed by Usman Abdullahi Bokani, Director of the Erosion, Flood and Coastal Zone Management Department, attributed the elevated risk to a combination of high soil moisture, heavy rainfall, rapid surface runoff, drainage surcharge and rising river levels.
Flood risk: What residents must do
Residents in critical-risk zones were told to confirm evacuation routes, protect vulnerable household members and keep essential property out of harm's way.
The government also directed people to avoid settling, parking, trading or storing goods within floodplains, wetlands, riverbanks and low-lying drainage corridors.
State emergency management agencies, environmental officers and community flood focal persons were directed to step up surveillance around rivers, streams, culverts, bridges, drains, estuaries, reservoirs and erosion-prone areas.
Communities in Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Niger, Adamawa, Taraba and Kebbi, which were designated high risk, were told to clear drainage systems and keep a close watch on culverts and watercourses.
The FCT, along with communities in Nasarawa, Plateau, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Yobe, Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina, Kano and Kaduna, fell under the moderate-risk category, though the government cautioned that sustained or back-to-back rainfall could quickly push those areas into higher risk territory.
Residents across all affected zones were advised to comply with evacuation orders from authorities, keep children away from floodwater, and refrain from driving or walking through moving water.
Where flooding appeared imminent, people were told to disconnect electricity and secure medicines, important documents, food and clean drinking water.
The government added that the forecast should be read alongside real-time local observations, river levels, drainage conditions and official emergency directives.
It said feedback from state governments, stakeholders and community focal persons would be used to update and validate the national flood-risk database on an ongoing basis.
Source: Legit.ng
