The Nigerian Meteorological Agency has issued a flood alert for July, warning that states including Sokoto, Lagos, Edo, Benue, and 16 others are at risk of flash floods. Sokoto, Lagos, Edo, Benue, and sixteen other states are at risk of flash floods, according to a flood advisory for July published by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency.
Following the recent devastating floods that affected several states, the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners, researchers studying climate change adaptation, and the Africa Environmental Health Organization, among others, criticized state governments and demanded a close examination of how ecological funds were being managed in the affected areas.
Results revealed that several states appear unprepared to lessen the effects of such disasters, even after receiving over N620 billion in ecological funding. This raises concerns about how well these monies work to improve environmental resilience and disaster preparedness.
The states with different potential probabilities of experiencing flash flooding events owing to the commencement of rainfall nationwide were included in NiMet's flash flood risk advisory for July 2025, which the agency posted on Monday.
"Sokoto State has a high risk of experiencing flash floods," the agency stated. Kaduna, Zamfara, Yobe, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Jigawa, Adamawa, Taraba, Niger, Nasarawa, Benue, Ogun, Ondo, Lagos, Delta, Edo, Cross River, Rivers, and Akwa Ibom are other states that are at a significant risk of experiencing flash flooding.
Residents of the states were encouraged by the agency to prepare emergency kits, clear drainage systems, switch off gas and power during flooding, increase mudslide prevention, move if necessary, and raise community awareness.
This comes after residents of certain Ondo villages that were impacted by last week's storm urged the state government on Monday to help them after their property was destroyed.
A downpour on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday caused the flood, which has reportedly ruined property valued at millions of naira in villages in the state's Owo, Okitipupa, Ilaje, and Ese Odo Local Government Areas.
In the impacted settlements of Uso, Ayeka, Ikoya, Igbodigo, Igodan, and Igbotako. It was discovered that the water had damaged structures and submerged bridges.
"The flooding was caused by erosion flowing down from Igodan, coupled with the fact that the Igodan stream along the road overflowed its banks during the torrential downpour," stated Mr. Joshua Jemiloni, one of the casualties in the Okitipupa hamlet. About ten buildings were impacted.
In a similar vein, Lawrence Awanebi, a community leader in Igbodigo, Okitipupa Local Government, expressed dismay at the extent of the damage and urged the government to provide immediate aid to people who were displaced by the flood.
Additionally, Tope Omolayo, the chairman of Owo Local Government, urged the federal government, the state government of Ondo, and the appropriate emergency services to act quickly.
In a previous statement, State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa stated that the administration has started projects to dredge the state's waterways to lessen floods and other natural calamities. He declared, "As a government, we shall continue with initiatives that will dredge our waterways and enforce environmental sanitation laws to lessen the effects of floods and other natural disasters."