The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has taken its 2025 campaign of mitigating possible flood disasters to five flood-prone communities in Jigawa.

NOA’s director in the state, Ahmad Tijjani, stated this when he led a team to Jigawa State Emergency Management (SEMA) on Friday.

Mr Tijjani said the visit to strengthen the partnership between the two agencies was with a view to achieving better results in flood prevention.

The director presented the agency’s report on community engagement and sensitisation toward mitigating the impacts of flooding.

According to him, the 2025 rainfall prediction reveals the possible occurrence of flooding in 30 states of the federation, including Jigawa.

He added, “As a proactive step to minimise the impacts of flooding on communities, we have visited and sensitised five flood-prone communities across five local government areas of the state.

“This is in addition to media engagements, featuring radio discussions anchored on educating the public on how to address some of the human-induced factors of flooding.”

Mr Tijjani stressed the importance of planning and coordination, especially in risk mitigation and emergency response.

Responding, SEMA’s executive secretary, Hannafi Yakubu, thanked the team for the visit and commended the agency “for efforts in safeguarding humanity.”

NOA’s sensitisation campaign is coming after the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said the Guri Local Government Area of the state falls within the high-risk flood zone in 2025.

Also, 20 others are predicted to experience a moderate risk of flooding in the course of the year.

The head of NEMA’s Kano territorial office, Nura Abdullahi, said this at a recent stakeholders’ engagement in Dutse.

Mr Abdullahi said the information was in accordance with the Nigeria Hydrological Agency’s 2025 Annual Flood Outlook.

He listed the affected council areas to include Suletankarkar, Garki, Taura, Jahun, Dutse, Kiyawa, Birnin Kudu, Buji, Gwaram, Kafin Hausa, Miga, Auyo, Kaugama, Gagarawa, Gumel, Maigatari, Birniwa, Malam Madori, Hadejia, and Kirikasamma.

Mr Abdullahi added that all 21 areas were predicted to experience flooding between July and September.

Recently, at a news conference, the Jigawa governor, Umar Namadi, assured that the state government was taking preventive measures to reduce the impact of flooding, particularly in the predicted council areas.

Mr Namadi said the government had already constructed embankments in all the flood-prone areas.

He also disclosed that 150 out of the 300 kilometres of Hadejia River had been dredged to allow free flow of water during the rainy season.

The governor further assured commitment to protecting lives, property, farmlands and other infrastructure from flooding and other disasters in the state.

(NAN)