The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Emergency Management Department (FEMD) has warned residents of Gwagwalada, Mabushi, Lokogoma and other flood-prone communities to take precautionary measures as the rainy season reaches its peak.
The warning was issued during a one-day Stakeholders’ Engagement on the National Disaster Preparedness and Response Campaign 2026, where emergency officials urged residents and relevant agencies to strengthen flood prevention efforts.
Speaking at the event, the Head of Forecasting, Response and Mitigation at FEMD, Dr. Mark Nyam, said weather forecasts indicate that several communities across the FCT remain vulnerable to flooding, stressing the need for proactive measures.
He appealed to stakeholders to strengthen collaboration and implement strategies that would minimise the impact of flooding during the season.
Also speaking, the Head of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Abuja Operations Office, Mr. Zakari Abubakar, said the agency had rolled out a series of interventions aimed at mitigating flood disasters nationwide.
“Our intervention focuses on prevention, preparation, response and support to ensure recovery,” he said.
Abubakar urged FEMD to extend the awareness campaign to grassroots communities, particularly residents living along riverbanks, who are among the most vulnerable to flooding.
The Director of Development Control, Town Planner Bashir Madaki, also called for strict enforcement of regulations protecting waterways, noting that preserving natural drainage channels is critical to reducing flooding in the nation’s capital.
As part of the exercise, participants visited flood-prone locations in Mabushi and Lokogoma districts to assess the level of risk and identify areas requiring urgent intervention.
Representatives of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), the Nigerian Red Cross Society, the FCT Fire Service and the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) attended the stakeholders’ meeting.
FEMD extended its flood preparedness campaign to Gwagwalada Area Council, where officials engaged traditional leaders and community representatives on disaster prevention.
Addressing palace officials, Dr. Nyam attributed flooding in many parts of the FCT largely to human activities, and dismissed claims that flooding in Gwagwalada was caused by dam operations.
“Disaster is localised. The attitude of some of our people worsens the situation. Do not dump refuse in drainage systems and do not build on water channels,” he said.
Several district and village heads who spoke during the meeting blamed indiscriminate dumping of refuse on the absence of designated dump sites in the area.
They also called for stricter enforcement of environmental sanitation laws to curb practices contributing to flooding.
In his remarks, the Aguma of Gwagwalada, Alhaji Mohammed Magaji, represented by the Waziri of Gwagwalada, Alhaji Bala Garba Madaki, described the sensitisation visit as timely and important.
He pledged that the flood safety message would be disseminated to district, ward and village heads, as well as religious leaders, to increase public awareness.
The traditional ruler also assured FEMD of the support of his cabinet in encouraging residents living along riverbanks to relocate to safer, higher ground in order to reduce the risk of flood-related disasters.
(The Whistler)