As deadly floods threaten to wash away what remains of Benue State’s battered communities, residents are already battling a silent war of bloodshed.
Tagged the “Food Basket of the Nation,” Benue is now a land of fear, where farmlands are torched by herdsmen and rivers rise with little warning.
With over 1,200 communities marked for potential flooding, locals face an impossible choice: stay and drown or flee and face the guns.
Despite government assurances of preparedness, voices from Makurdi to Agatu say time is running out—and action must replace promises before another wave of disaster hits.
The Federal Government, through the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), recently listed Benue as one of the states expected to suffer severe flooding this year.
According to the 2025 Annual Flood Outlook, over 1,249 communities across 176 Local Government Areas in 30 states, including the Federal Capital Territory, are at high risk of flooding, with Benue State prominently featured.
For residents of Benue, particularly in Makurdi and surrounding riverine communities, flooding is a bitter annual ordeal.
The infamous 2012 flood remains one of the worst disasters in the state’s history, displacing over 100,000 residents and submerging homes, farmlands, schools and roads.
In 2017, the nightmare returned, affecting more than 110,000 people in 24 communities. Several smaller but damaging floods followed in 2020, 2022, and 2023, leaving many internally displaced and properties destroyed.
The recurrent floods are largely attributed to the overflowing of River Benue, release of water from Lagdo Dam in Cameroon, blocked waterways, poor urban drainage systems and the increasing impact of climate change.
These factors have made the state particularly vulnerable, with residents living near the riverbanks perpetually on edge during the rainy season.
Reacting to this year’s forecast, the Benue State Government has stepped up preparations to mitigate the impending disaster.
Governor Hyacinth Alia assured residents that proactive measures are being taken to minimize potential losses.
“The State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) has been directed to remain on high alert.
“Temporary shelters are being prepared, while public awareness campaigns are ongoing to sensitize residents, particularly those within one kilometre of the River Benue, to relocate to safer areas,” the governor stated.
The government is also collaborating with federal agencies to deploy early warning systems and community-based flood prediction models aimed at providing tailored forecasts to vulnerable communities.