Flood: NEMA tasks Benue on early warning, evacuation, emergency response

The National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, has called on the Benue State Government to intensify flood preparedness and improve coordination among emergency response agencies as rainfall persists across the state.

The agency’s Director-General, Zubaida Umar, made the call during a full-scale flood response simulation exercise held in Makurdi, where emergency management stakeholders assessed their readiness to respond to potential flood disasters.

Represented by NEMA’s Director of Search and Rescue, Usman Bature, Umar said Benue’s geographical features, including its river systems, floodplains and communities situated along the River Benue and its tributaries, increased the state’s exposure to flooding.

She stressed the importance of maintaining early warning systems, ensuring effective coordination and facilitating the timely evacuation of residents in vulnerable communities, in line with the 2026 flood outlook.

“This exercise is not merely a demonstration of equipment or procedures. It is an opportunity to test, under realistic conditions, how quickly and effectively we can move from early warning to community action, local coordination, state-level response and, where necessary, federal support,” Mrs Umar said.

According to her, emergency intervention should begin at the community level, with additional support from local, state and federal authorities deployed as the scale of a disaster increases.

The exercise was held approximately one month after the Federal Ministry of Environment issued a flood warning for several Benue communities between August 15 and 28.

The National Flood Early Warning Systems Centre had identified Agatu, Buruku, Guma, Igumale, Logo and Makurdi as critical flood-risk locations, while several other communities were classified as high-risk areas.

The centre advised residents in vulnerable locations to monitor flood alerts, confirm evacuation routes, protect essential belongings and avoid activities within floodplains, riverbanks and other areas prone to flooding.