By Our Correspondent in Abuja
The Northern Senators Forum has called on the Federal and Niger State Governments to move beyond emergency response and adopt a permanent flood management plan following the latest flooding in Minna, Chanchaga, Bosso and Shiroro Local Government Areas.
In a statement issued on Tuesday and signed by the Forum’s Chairman, Senator Abdulaziz Musa Yar’adua, the lawmakers expressed deep sympathies to the government and people of Niger State.
“We commiserate with families who have lost loved ones, homes, farms, businesses and livelihoods to this unfortunate disaster. Our thoughts and prayers are with all those displaced and undergoing hardship during this difficult period,” Yar’adua said.
The Forum acknowledged the quick assessment and documentation carried out by the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, and the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, NSEMA.
However, it noted with concern that flooding in Shiroro and other riverine communities has become a recurring pattern, stressing that short-term measures must be activated immediately.
The senators urged both levels of government, in collaboration with local authorities, to ensure timely distribution of relief materials to verified victims, provide temporary shelters with basic health and sanitation services, and deploy emergency evacuation and early-warning teams in all flood-prone areas before the peak of the rainy season.
They also called for community sensitization to heed safety advisories and avoid building on water channels.
For a long-term solution, the Forum proposed a _Shiroro Flood Management Master Plan_. The plan should include a scientifically determined flood-buffer operating strategy for the Shiroro, Kainji and Jebba dams, a permanent flood forecasting and early-warning system with trained local volunteers downstream, and a comprehensive floodplain resettlement programme with planned settlements, compensation and livelihood support.
The statement further recommended an independent technical review of dam operations, reservoir capacity and spillway performance in light of current climate realities. Citing the 2025 Mokwa tragedy and a 2025 vulnerability study which showed that 32% of Shiroro LGA is highly prone to flooding, the Forum warned that “inaction will continue to cost lives and property.”
“We stand in solidarity with the people of Niger State and assure them of the Northern Senators Forum’s commitment to advocate for appropriate budgetary provisions and legislative support to prevent avoidable disasters,” Yar’adua stated. He urged federal and state agencies, traditional leaders and residents to work together to protect lives and build resilience against future floods.
