By Our Reporter
The Federal Government has issued a flood alert to residents of 24 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), warning of possible flooding between September 27 and October 10, 2026.
The warning followed forecasts of heavy rainfall, rising river levels, saturated soil and increased surface runoff across several parts of the country.
The alert was contained in a flood prediction issued by the National Flood Early Warning Systems Centre, under the Erosion, Flood and Coastal Zone Management Department.
The advisory, signed by the department’s Director, Usman Abdullahi Bokani, identified several communities as being at critical, high or moderate risk of flooding during the forecast period.
States with communities classified as being at critical flood risk include Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Niger, Adamawa, Bauchi, Taraba, Rivers, Edo, Delta, Cross River, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo, Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo.
The FCT, Nasarawa, Plateau, Bauchi, Taraba, Adamawa and Kebbi were among locations where communities were placed in the high-risk category.
According to the Centre, the forecast was based on elevated soil moisture, expected rainfall, rapid surface runoff, drainage surcharge and rising river levels, which could combine to trigger flooding.
Major urban centres covered by the warning include Makurdi, Lokoja, Minna, Port Harcourt, Benin City, Asaba, Calabar, Uyo, Aba, Onitsha, Enugu, Owerri, Ado-Ekiti, Lagos, Abeokuta, Akure, Osogbo and Ibadan.
In the FCT, Abuja Municipal, Asokoro, Bwari, Garki, Gwagwalada, Gwarinpa, Kubwa, Kuje, Kwali, Lugbe, Maitama, Nyanya and Wuse were listed among areas facing high flood risk.
The Centre also identified several riverine and coastal communities in Rivers, Delta, Bayelsa, Cross River and Akwa Ibom as being at critical risk.
It urged residents in critical-risk communities to remain on immediate flood watch, identify evacuation routes and protect vulnerable people and essential property.
Residents were advised against settling, parking, trading or storing goods on floodplains, wetlands, riverbanks and low-lying drainage corridors.
The Centre also directed State Controllers, State Emergency Management Agencies, local government environmental officers and community flood focal persons to intensify monitoring of rivers, streams, culverts, bridges, drains, estuaries, reservoirs and erosion-prone areas.
For communities classified as high-risk, the Centre recommended intensified drainage clearance and monitoring of culverts and waterways.
It further called for prompt reporting of heavy rainfall, ponding, dam releases and changes in river levels.
Communities on the moderate-risk watchlist were also advised to remain vigilant, as prolonged or consecutive rainfall could rapidly increase local flood risks.
The Centre urged residents to comply with evacuation orders issued by competent authorities, keep children away from floodwater and avoid walking or driving through flowing water.
It also advised residents to disconnect electricity where flooding was imminent and secure medicines, important documents, food and potable water.
The Centre stressed that the forecast should be considered alongside real-time rainfall, drainage and river-level conditions, as well as official emergency directives.
It added that observations and reports from state governments, relevant stakeholders and community focal persons would be used to update the flood-risk database.