Several communities in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, have been flooded after a prolonged downpour that lasted about 12 hours from Sunday night into Monday, submerging homes, streets and business premises and disrupting movement across parts of the city.
The rainfall began at about 6pm on Sunday and continued into Monday, according to reports from Makurdi. Areas affected included Achusa, Rice Mill in Wadata, Idye and Naka Road, while other reports identified New GRA, Nyiman, North Bank, Ankpa Quarters, Wurukum and parts of Tilley Gyado-Terwase Agbadu among areas hit by the flooding.
Some residential buildings, eateries, schools, churches and other businesses were reportedly inundated, while floodwaters made movement difficult and left some commuters stranded. Residents also reported damage to household belongings and food items in some locations.
Residents in parts of the city attributed the severity of the flooding to ongoing road construction and uncompleted drainage works. They said some drainage channels had been blocked or left unfinished during construction, causing rainwater to spill into adjoining streets and residential areas.
A resident of Achusa, identified as Debby, said several houses in the community were affected. While commending the state government for road and drainage projects aimed at addressing recurring flooding, she appealed to authorities to ensure that temporarily blocked drainage channels were reopened.
“My observation is that the indiscriminate closure of roads and streets, as well as the blockage of drainage channels, contributed to the flooding we experienced,” she said.
However, the role of construction-related drainage blockage in the latest flooding has not been independently established by the emergency authorities. The Information Officer of the Benue State Emergency Management Agency (BSEMA), Terma Ager, confirmed that the agency had received reports of flooding in Achusa and other areas but said officials were assessing the situation before determining the appropriate response.
“This is the last lap of the rainy season, and usually, it floods many places,” Ager said, urging residents in flood-prone communities to relocate to safer areas.
The latest flooding comes amid repeated warnings about Benue’s vulnerability to flooding. Earlier in September, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said the state remained particularly exposed because of its topography, extensive river systems and floodplains, seasonal rainfall and settlements along the River Benue and its tributaries.
NEMA had also classified Makurdi as a critical flood-risk area in an August flood prediction, warning that rainfall, surface runoff, drainage surcharge and rising river levels could combine to cause flooding. It recommended drainage clearance, monitoring of culverts and waterways, and early evacuation where necessary.
In July, NEMA Director-General Zubaida Umar similarly advised residents of flood-prone communities to heed early warnings, avoid walking or driving through floodwaters and relocate to safer, higher ground when flooding is imminent.
The latest Makurdi flooding has renewed calls from residents for faster completion of ongoing road and drainage projects and for temporary drainage blockages created during construction to be addressed.
BSEMA said it was continuing its assessment of affected areas, with further intervention expected after officials determine the scale of the damage and the needs of affected communities.