Flooding in Nasarawa State has claimed one life and destroyed over 300 farmlands across three local government areas, officials have confirmed.
Mr. Benjamin Akwash, Director General of the Nasarawa State Emergency Management Agency disclosed this during a briefing in Lafia following an assessment of the affected communities.
According to Mr. Akwash, the agency has been actively conducting sensitisation campaigns in flood-prone areas and engaging stakeholders on the importance of adhering to safety measures and monitoring weather forecasts from relevant authorities.
He expressed concern, however, over the reluctance of residents in high-risk areas to relocate.
“People are finding it difficult to move to safer grounds. They prefer to remain on their ancestral lands despite repeated alerts from authorities. This is unacceptable. We cannot continue to play laxity with human lives; there must be a way out,” he said.
Akwash also revealed that the state government is developing a long-term flood prevention strategy aimed at preventing annual disasters rather than relying solely on post-disaster relief efforts.
A detailed assessment of the destruction is ongoing in Nasarawa, Kokona, and Doma Local Government Areas, where hundreds of hectares of farmland have been washed away.
“This is a major setback in our drive to achieve food security and sufficiency. Preliminary reports show that more than 300 farmlands with crops have been completely washed away,” he added.
In response to the disaster, Mr. Akwash said the government has finalized plans to provide food and non
