Flood threat looms over 178 communities in Kano – NEMA

KANO, NIGERIA — The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has revealed that 178 vulnerable communities across 28 local government areas in Kano State face a moderate risk of flooding during the 2026 rainy season.

The disclosure was made on Tuesday during a stakeholders’ engagement workshop and the official launch of the 2026 National Preparedness and Response Campaign (NPRC). Held at the Coronation Hall within the Government House in Kano, the campaign is centred on the theme: “Strengthening Disaster Risk Governance for a Resilient Nigeria.”

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Early Warnings and Identified High-Risk Local Governments

Delivering the keynote address on behalf of NEMA Director-General Zubaida Umar, the agency’s Northwest Zonal Director, Aliyu Shehu-Kafindangi, explained that the campaign is part of a nationwide strategy to boost public awareness and coordinate disaster response efforts. The warnings stem from data compiled by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), which indicate that multiple areas within Kano State are susceptible to severe seasonal flooding.

According to NEMA’s risk assessments, special emergency preparedness measures must be deployed immediately across the 178 identified communities. The 28 vulnerable local government areas flagged by the agency include Ajingi, Bagwai, Bebeji, Bichi, Bunkure, Dala, Dawakin Kudu, Dawakin Tofa, Fagge, Gabasawa, Garun Malam, Gaya and Gwale. Other areas requiring close monitoring are Kabo, Karaye, Kiru, Kunchi, Ghari, Kura, Madobi, Rano, Rimin Gado, Sumaila, Takai, Tofa, Tudun Wada, Ungogo and Warawa.

To mitigate potential disasters, Shehu-Kafindangi revealed that NEMA has introduced the 2026 Climate-Related Risk Management, Preparedness and Mitigation Framework. This blueprint prioritises local emergency capacity building, simulation drills, early warning dissemination, the pre-positioning of relief materials and structural vulnerability assessments.

Kano Government Rolls Out Flood Mitigation Measures

Declaring the summit open, Kano State Governor Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, represented by the Commissioner for Water Resources, Environment and Climate Change, Dr Dahiru Muhammad-Hashim, reiterated the state’s commitment to climate resilience.

The governor announced that the administration has already approved and activated a robust environmental framework for the current rainy season. Key interventions include the comprehensive clearance of drainage systems across the state, the distribution of specialised maintenance tools to community-based volunteer groups, the demolition of illegal structures obstructing natural waterways and an ambitious environmental campaign to plant 10 million tree seedlings statewide.

Governor Yusuf stressed that early warning systems are ineffective if they do not reach grassroots communities. He directed stakeholders to ensure that all flood and climate-related information is translated and communicated to vulnerable populations in local languages, noting that disaster risk reduction requires collective ownership and coordinated action.

A Unified Front for Disaster Management

Echoing the call for collective action, the Executive Secretary of the Kano State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Alhaji Isyaku Abdullahi-Kubarachi, called for sustained collaboration among stakeholders and emphasised the importance of strict environmental sanitation. He also commended Dr Nura Abdullahi, NEMA’s Head of Operations in the Kano Office, for providing continuous technical support.

Adding a meteorological perspective, NiMet representative Mr Abubakar Sani-Yahaya noted that accurate climate data remains the backbone of economic sustainability and the protection of lives and property. He urged the immediate dissemination of weather forecasts to rural communities.

NAN