No fewer than 25 communities along the banks of the River Niger have been submerged by floodwaters in Edo State, following the release of water from the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon. The local government areas affected include Etsako East, Etsako Central, and Esan South East.
Speaking with journalists, Ojimah Christopher, the Desk Officer for Relief Materials and Distribution in Esan South East Local Government, confirmed that the flooding has severely impacted the communities.
He also serves as the Local Government Secretary of the Emergency Committee, which is responding to the crisis. Ojimah reported that the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in the local government area have already reached capacity due to the influx of displaced individuals.
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Communities such as Ifeku have been completely submerged, resulting in significant property and livestock losses. A resident, John Odaku, lamented that their farmlands, containing crops like yam, cassava, and groundnut—have been flooded, and harvested produce has been swept away.
He expressed frustration over their inability to salvage belongings, noting that the floodwaters are higher than those experienced last year. “We couldn’t salvage our crops and farm produce, and livestock were swept away by the ravaging flood,” he stated.
Odaku called on both the State and Federal Governments for assistance, highlighting that the local government has been struggling to address the situation.
In response to the flooding, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has urged residents to relocate to IDP camps to avoid casualties. Dahiru Yusuf, NEMA’s Head of the Benin Operation office, stated that the agency has been closely monitoring the flood situation in collaboration with state and local governments, as well as other stakeholders.
He confirmed that three local governments, Esan South East, Etsako East, and Etsako Central are currently facing displacement issues. Yusuf mentioned that assessments of the flood-prone local governments have been conducted to gauge their preparedness, indicating that most IDP camps are ready to accommodate those displaced by the floods.
