Adamawa State Deputy Governor, Professor Kaletapwa George Farauta, has urged residents living in flood-prone communities to remain alert and respond promptly to early warning signals as the state prepares for possible flooding.
Farauta issued the warning on Wednesday at Bakin Kogi, along the River Benue, during the inauguration of a full-scale Flood Disaster Response Simulation Exercise, known as SIMEX.
The deputy governor urged residents to cooperate with government agencies and emergency responders whenever flood risks emerge, stressing that early action and compliance with safety directives could help prevent avoidable deaths and destruction of property.
She said the simulation exercise was an important opportunity to assess the state’s level of preparedness and strengthen coordination among agencies responsible for disaster management.
Farauta commended the participating organisations for their involvement, noting that their collaboration would help improve Adamawa’s capacity to respond effectively to major flood emergencies.
Representing the Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Air Commodore Usman Bature, the agency’s Director of Search and Rescue said the exercise was designed to test disaster response plans, procedures and protocols.
He explained that SIMEX would also help authorities identify weaknesses in existing systems, document lessons from the exercise and improve collaboration among emergency response agencies.
The NEMA official said the exercise was particularly significant because of the annual release of water from the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon, which could affect 12 frontline states in Nigeria.
According to him, Adamawa is the first Nigerian state likely to be affected by any significant impact from the release of water from the dam, making early preparedness essential.
He further disclosed that Adamawa was among the 31 states identified as being at high risk of flooding under the 2026 Seasonal Climate Prediction released by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NiMet, as well as the Annual Flood Outlook.
The official described flooding as one of Nigeria’s most frequent and destructive natural hazards, noting that its effects extend beyond immediate damage to lives and property to livelihoods, infrastructure, the environment and entire communities.
He stressed that the growing frequency and severity of flood disasters made stronger preparedness measures increasingly necessary.
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These measures, he said, include effective early warning systems, anticipatory action, community preparedness and coordinated emergency response.
The simulation exercise brought together emergency management organisations, security agencies and other relevant responders to evaluate their readiness for a possible major flood disaster in Adamawa.
Participants also assessed existing emergency procedures during the exercise and identified areas that require improvement ahead of the peak of the flood season.
The state government and participating agencies are expected to use the lessons from the simulation to strengthen disaster preparedness and improve coordination in responding to future flood emergencies.
