The Federal Government of Nigeria has issued an alert regarding the controlled release of water from the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon. The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NHSA), led by Umar Muhammed, announced that the controlled water releases will begin on September 17, 2024, starting at a rate of 100 cubic meters per second (8,640,000 cubic meters per day). This rate is expected to gradually increase to 1,000 cubic meters per second over the next seven days, based on inflows from the Garoua River.
The NHSA emphasized that the dam operators are implementing gradual discharges to prevent overwhelming the Benue River system and causing significant downstream flooding in Nigeria. Although there is no immediate cause for alarm, the agency advised vigilance and preparedness among states bordering the Benue River—Adamawa, Taraba, Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, Edo, Delta, Anambra, Bayelsa, Cross Rivers, and Rivers.
The agency assured that they will continue to monitor river conditions and provide updates to manage and mitigate potential flooding impacts.
