The Federal Government announced on Tuesday that it will begin a controlled release of water from Cameroon’s Lagdo Dam to prevent flooding in Nigeria. The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) shared that the release will start on September 16, initially at a rate of 100 cubic meters per second—equivalent to about 8.64 million cubic meters daily.

 This flow may later increase to 1,000 cubic meters per second, depending on the water inflow from the Garoua River, which feeds the Benue River. Umar Mohammed, Director General of NIHSA, emphasized that the operation will be carefully monitored to keep water levels within safe limits and ensure no significant flooding occurs in downstream regions.

He reassured that current water levels in the Benue River are stable, and authorities in bordering states—including Adamawa, Taraba, and Benue—are on alert to minimize potential impacts.