NIGERIA: Ogun Govt Issues Flood Alert, Orders Residents to Relocate

By Ameenat Hamzat, Lagos, Nigeria 

The Ogun State Government has issued a flood alert, warning residents of riverine and coastal communities across the state to immediately relocate to safer areas ahead of anticipated heavy flooding between late September and mid-October.

The alert, contained in the state’s 2025 Midterm Flood Press Statement released on Sunday by the Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Ola Oresanya, listed vulnerable communities along the Ogun, Ilo, Iju, Owa, and Yemule Rivers. Affected areas include Isheri, Warewa, Akute, parts of Abeokuta, Ayetoro, Itele, and Iju, as well as coastline settlements in Ogun Waterside, Ijebu East, and Ipokia LGAs.

Oresanya explained that the flooding would result from a combination of factors, including river overflow, sea water rise, tidal lock, heavy rainfall, inflows from northern Nigeria and Benin Republic, and possible water release from the Oyan Dam.

He said: “The overflow, which usually lasts for two weeks, is part of the second phase of flooding that occurs annually between September and November.”

Citing projections from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Oresanya noted that September is expected to witness the highest rainfall of 204mm, followed by 190mm in October, before a decline to 93mm in November.

To mitigate the impact, he assured residents that the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) is on standby for evacuations, while temporary camps have been prepared. He added that the Ministry of Environment is working closely with the Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority to regulate water releases from Oyan Dam.

The commissioner also cautioned residents in flood-prone areas against using boreholes and wells during the period due to possible contamination of water sources. He urged fish farmers, particularly those operating along floodplains in Eriwe, Yemule, Ilase, and Ayegbami, to harvest their stock immediately to avoid massive losses.

Oresanya warned: “Fish farmers must not delay in harvesting to avert their investments being washed away. Likewise, residents should avoid consumption of contaminated water as tidal variations will worsen water quality.”

He commended residents for past cooperation with government on environmental issues, saying such support had reduced the impact of flooding in the state over the last six years.

Oresanya reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to safeguarding lives and property, stressing that precautionary relocation remained the most effective way to avoid casualties.