Water Release From Lagdo Dam Will Be Gradual- NHSA

The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency has warned Nigerians about the possible effects of the ongoing release of water from the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon.

A statement from its Director General, Umar Mohammed said that the authorities at the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon began controlled water releases on Tuesday, September 17, 2024. He noted that the water flow is being released gradually and is expected to increase over the next seven days due to inflows from the Garoua River upstream.

Officials from the dam management however assured that the planned releases will be controlled to prevent exceeding the capacity of the Benue River system, thereby reducing the risk of flooding in downstream areas of Nigeria.

The agency also emphasised that there is currently no cause for alarm, as water levels in the Benue River remain within warning levels.

It urged state governments bordering the river—namely Adamawa, Taraba, Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, Edo, Delta, Anambra, Bayelsa, Cross River, and Rivers to step up vigilance and deploy adequate preparedness measures to reduce the possible impact of flooding.