The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has reported a rise in fatalities due to severe flooding in Nigeria, with the death toll now reaching 192 across 29 states. This increase, driven by unprecedented rainfall and the swelling Niger and Benue rivers, marks a grim milestone for the country as communities struggle to cope with the devastation.
The affected states span the breadth of Nigeria, from Adamawa in the northeast to Lagos in the southwest. States experiencing the worst of the flooding include Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Enugu, the Federal Capital Territory, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ondo, Oyo, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara, and Plateau.
NEMA’s spokesperson, Ezekiel Manzo, confirmed the updated death toll, saying, “I got information from our Emergency Operation Centre that the death toll has increased to 192. The latest figure is due to flooding in Plateau State.” He added that Plateau State has just been added to the list of affected regions, making it the 29th state to experience flooding this year.
Manzo expressed concern over the public’s response to evacuation warnings. “Some people underrated the information that was given to them, despite our extensive sensitisation efforts. If information has been given repeatedly and these incidents still occur, it suggests some may not have taken the warnings seriously,” he said.
He also acknowledged the possibility that the flooding has exceeded earlier predictions, with some areas that were not previously known to be flood-prone now being affected. “There is a high amount of rainfall that we have recorded so far, with a significant impact,” Manzo noted.
NEMA has been actively involved in running sensitisation programmes to educate and alert people about the dangers of flooding, yet the scale of the disaster continues to overwhelm many communities. As the agency continues its efforts to mitigate the damage, the situation highlights the urgent need for improved disaster preparedness and climate resilience in Nigeria.
