The rapidly rising water level of River Benue has submerged numerous houses and farmlands in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, displacing hundreds of families, particularly those living within one or two kilometers of the riverbank.
Over the weekend, Vanguard observed that several areas, including the Agwan Jukun community in Wurukum, Kilometre 3 near the Judges Quarters, Wadata, Gyado Villa, and Agbouhoul, have all been flooded by the rising waters. The flood has reached the perimeter fence of the Airforce Quarters at Wurukum Roundabout, while nearby mechanic workshops have been abandoned.
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Additionally, the Wurukum abattoir, plank market, and rice mill are under threat as the water continues to creep toward these locations. As a result, thousands of residents have been forced to flee their homes, while business owners in the affected areas have shut down operations and evacuated their goods.
Mr. Sunny Ntenba, a resident whose house near Kyabis Hotel, Kilometre 3, Gboko Road, has been submerged, said he had moved his family and belongings to a temporary shelter provided by a friend.
He recounted, “The water level started rising days ago, and instead of receding, it kept increasing. Some of us left early, remembering past flooding incidents caused by the release of excess water from the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon.”
Mr. Ntenba added that while he was fortunate to move his family and property in time, his house remains partially submerged, and he does not expect to return home until next month. He appealed to the federal government to dredge the River Benue to prevent the recurring floods that torment Makurdi residents.
In response to the crisis, the Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) has urged those living in flood-prone areas to evacuate to safer locations and designated camps. The Executive Secretary of SEMA, James Iorpuu, stressed the urgency of the situation, citing the dangerously high water levels as the reason for the directive.
