Picture: Amb. Fidelis Nnadi
By Paschal Emeka, Abuja
The Accident Prevention and Rescue Initiative, APRI, has called on the Federal and State Governments to move beyond emergency response and adopt permanent flood management plans following fresh flooding on portions of the Benin-Ore and Coastal highways, and other roads in flood-prone areas.
This comes as the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NiMet, predicted possible flash floods in 13 states between August 11 and 20, 2026. NiMet listed Sokoto, Zamfara, Kebbi, Niger, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Adamawa, Plateau, Benue, Kogi, Taraba, Cross River and Akwa Ibom as states at high risk.
In a statement issued on Wednesday and signed by its Executive Director, Amb. Fidelis Nnadi, APRI decried the recent flooding of a section of the Benin-Ore Expressway around Ore in Odigbo Local Government Area, Ondo State, which left commuters and motorists stranded for several hours.
“The flood caused a traffic logjam on the expressway. Some motorists were forced to use the longer Okitipupa-Akinfosile-Omotosho route to reconnect to the highway. Many travellers were stranded and lamenting,” the statement said.
APRI therefore urged the Federal Ministry of Works and State Ministries of Works to proactively address flooding threats on sections of the nation’s highways, especially those in flood-prone areas.
“We call for immediate measures to ensure that economic activities are not hampered by flooding. We are also aware of flooding on some roads in Lagos and the FCT. This calls for the construction of flood buffers in affected areas to mitigate the impact on highways,” APRI said.
The group further called for community sensitization to heed safety advisories and avoid building on water channels. It also urged town planners and builders nationwide to ensure that buildings are equipped with adequate gutters and drainage systems.
“As the rainy season peaks, governments should not wait until the worst is upon us before tackling flooding. As towns and cities expand, the fire-brigade and half-hearted approach must be jettisoned in the interest of safety of lives and property,” APRI stated.
