Flood Alert: Federal Govt Names 24 States, FCT at Risk
- The National Flood Early Warning Systems Centre issued a flood prediction covering 24 states and the FCT for a two-week window starting September 27, 2026
- Several communities across Benue, Kogi, Lagos, Rivers, Delta, Bayelsa and other states were classified as critical-risk areas in the advisory
- Residents in flood-risk zones received specific safety instructions, including identifying evacuation routes and securing essential medicines and documents
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FCT, Abuja - The Federal Government has put residents across 24 states and the Federal Capital Territory on alert for possible flooding between September 27 and October 10, 2026.
The National Flood Early Warning Systems Centre warned that a combination of heavy rainfall, rising river levels, saturated soil and increased surface runoff could trigger widespread flood events during that period.
The warning came from the agency, operating under the Erosion, Flood and Coastal Zone Management Department.
As reported by Vanguard, the advisory was signed by the department's Director, Usman Abdullahi Bokani.
States placed on critical Flood risk
Communities in Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Niger, Adamawa, Bauchi, Taraba, Rivers, Edo, Delta, Cross River, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo, Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo were all listed in the critical-risk category.
Riverine and coastal communities in Rivers, Delta, Bayelsa, Cross River and Akwa Ibom were specifically singled out as facing the greatest exposure.
Major urban centres covered by the alert include Makurdi, Lokoja, Minna, Port Harcourt, Benin City, Asaba, Calabar, Uyo, Aba, Onitsha, Enugu, Owerri, Ado-Ekiti, Lagos, Abeokuta, Akure, Osogbo and Ibadan.
In the FCT, areas including Abuja Municipal, Asokoro, Bwari, Garki, Gwagwalada, Gwarinpa, Kubwa, Kuje, Kwali, Lugbe, Maitama, Nyanya and Wuse were placed on the high-risk list, alongside the FCT itself, Nasarawa, Plateau, Bauchi, Taraba, Adamawa and Kebbi.
What residents are being asked to do
People living in critical-risk communities were told to begin an immediate flood watch, map out evacuation routes in advance, and move vulnerable persons and essential property to safety.
The Centre also warned residents to avoid settling, parking, trading or keeping goods on floodplains, riverbanks, wetlands and low-lying drainage areas.
For those in high-risk zones, the Centre recommended clearing drains and closely watching culverts and waterways, urging prompt reports on heavy rainfall, water ponding, dam releases and any changes in river levels.
Communities on the moderate-risk list were advised to stay alert, as prolonged or back-to-back rainfall could rapidly worsen local conditions.
State Controllers, State Emergency Management Agencies, local government environmental officers and community flood focal persons were directed to step up monitoring of rivers, streams, bridges, culverts, drains, estuaries, reservoirs and erosion-prone zones.
The Centre also told residents to disconnect electricity where flooding was imminent, keep children away from floodwater, avoid walking or driving through moving water, and secure medicines, important documents, food and clean water.
It noted that the forecast should be read alongside real-time conditions on the ground and any official emergency directives, adding that reports from state governments and community focal persons would be used to update the flood-risk database.
15 states to experience 7-day high flood
Meanwhile, Legit.ng also reported that the Nigeria Hydrological Service Agency forecast high riverine flooding across 15 states between September 19 and 25, 2026.
NiHSA director general Umar Mohammed warned that schools, hospitals, markets, farms and religious buildings are at risk in affected states.
Residents in floodplain communities across Imo, Cross River, Anambra, Ebonyi and other states have been urged to move to higher ground.
Source: Legit.ng
