Residents in riverine communities of Niger State have been urged to evacuate immediately following warnings that four major hydroelectric dams — Shiroro, Jebba, Kainji, and Zungeru — may discharge excess water without notice.
The alert, issued to the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), called on communities along the Niger and Kaduna Rivers to move to higher ground to avoid potential flooding.
In a statement released from Minna, NSEMA’s Director-General, Abdullahi Baba Arah, described the situation as “catastrophic,” highlighting the massive volumes of water expected to be released from the dams.
“The dams are releasing thousands of gallons of water per minute, which could cause rivers to overflow. We advise communities to avoid activities near riverbanks during this peak rainy season,” Arah said.
He added that residents in affected areas should relocate to safer grounds already identified by authorities. The DG listed some of the most vulnerable local government areas, including Lavun, Magama, Rafi, Kontagora, Gbako, Mokwa, Lapai, Katcha, Agaie, Suleja, Shiroro, Mashegu, Agwara, Bida, Edati, Munya, Bosso, Chanchaga, Paikoro, and Wushishi.
The hydrological warning affects at least 20 local government areas in total. While some loss of life has reportedly occurred, officials have not provided an exact death toll.
Authorities continue to monitor the dams closely and have urged residents to follow official advisories to minimize risks.