The federal government says it will relocate 10,000 people in the Mosun community in the Bassa council area of Kogi over potential flooding from the River Benue during the rainy season.

Abubakar Yelwa, the managing director of the Hydro-Electricity Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPPADEC), said this on Monday during a tour of the affected communities in Mosun.

Mr Yelwa said relocating the affected communities became necessary due to the negative impact of the 2022 flood in the affected communities, as villagers had to desert their homes for safety.

“We will begin construction of buildings that would accommodate the affected villagers in two weeks if we are shown the piece of land by the traditional ruler and the Bassa local government authorities,” said HYPPADEC boss.

Mr Yelwa added, “What we are afraid of is the flood for 2023, going by the prediction of NiMet, which says this year’s rain would be heavier than that of 2022, which may mean more floods than we experienced.”

The traditional ruler of the Mosun Kingdom, Burka Ali, told the HYPPADEC boss that the 2022 flood was devastating.

”No fewer than 10,000 people were displaced by the 2022 flood. In fact, land space of over 300m was washed away by the flood. As for the piece of land for the resettlement of my unfortunate people, we have already selected a piece of land to show HYPPADEC,” Mr Ali explained.

According to him, the residents are ready to cooperate with HYPPADEC to ensure a successful resettlement programme.

NiMET warned Nigerians to prepare for an earlier-than-expected onset of rainfall in most parts of Nigeria.

Starting on or around March 2, NiMET said the coastal areas of the South-South comprising Bayelsa, Rivers, and Akwa Ibom would see heavy rainfall.

NiMET said an extended rainfall season is predicted to occur in Gombe, Kaduna, Kwara, Enugu, Anambra, western Ogun, and Lagos. The northern states of Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Kano, Katsina, Jigawa, Yobe and Borno will have an onset of rain between June and July.

Peak rainfall would be between July and September.

It said the coastal zone of the South-South states of Bayelsa, Rivers, and Akwa Ibom would observe unpleasant rainfall changes.

NiMET also said the central states will likely wait until May while Katsina, Zamfara, Kano, Jigawa, Yobe, Cross River, Ebonyi, Imo, and Rivers will experience delayed onset of rainfall.

The rains will begin in June and July for Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Kano, Katsina, Jigawa, Yobe, and Borno. Only Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Kwara Gombe, Kwara, Oyo, Ogun, and Lagos will be near normal but with a worrisome quantity.

(NAN)