The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Kogi deputy governor faces impeachment

    The Kogi State House of Assembly, on Wednesday, formally began impeachment process against the embattled Deputy Governor Simon Achuba over his alleged action and utterances on some broadcast media, including Channels and AIT televisions.

    Relationship between Achuba and Governor Yahata Bello had gone sour, culminating in last week’s news conference by the latter, where he alleged his principal was planning to assassinate him, among others.

    The state assembly members described Achuba’s action as a gross misconduct against the governor and the people of the state.

    The impeachment process was sequel to a petition signed by 21 members of the state legislature, which was presented on the floor of the assembly by the Majority Leader, Abdullahi Bello (Ajaokuta).

    Read Also: Bello is after my life, says Kogi’s deputy governor

    It reads: “We, the members of the Kogi State House of Assembly, have in the past few weeks and days watched keenly the actions and utterances of the Deputy Governor of Kogi State, Elder Simon Achuba, both in public and national television, with regards to the government of Kogi State, the Governor of Kogi State and other key officials of the state government, especially the allegations of crimes, financial misappropriation and non-performance levelled against them.

    “It is our belief that these actions and utterances of the deputy governor amounts to gross misconduct in the performance of the functions of his office.”

    The petition alleged that the committee set up by the state government to look into the ‘Iyano crises’, in Ibaji local government, made findings indicting the deputy governor over his alleged actions in relation to the escalation of the crisis.

    “It is our view that the deputy governor is guilty of gross misconduct and he ought to answer to, and or substantiate all these allegations.”

    The Speaker, however, directed that the petition be transmitted to the deputy governor, giving him two weeks to respond, while investigation into the alleged misconduct begins.

  • Banditry: Ex-Deputy Senate President urges Buhari to rescue Katsina

    Former Deputy Senate President Mamman Abubakar Dan Musa on Wednesday in Katsina called on President Muhammad Buhari to urgently intervene and rescue his home state from the grip of bandits’ attacks and several other criminalities

    Mamman, who made the call while addressing reporters in his house, said the security situation, particularly in three local Government areas in the state – Batsari, Safana and Danmusa – has seriously degenerated into every day attacks.

    He added that the security agencies have failed to curtail the challenges.

    He said: “Buhari knows Mamman very well and he knows I don’t talk nonsense, and that I am a fighter of justice and human rights. In 1960, I led a demonstration while as a student of Katsina teachers college against injustice and inhumanity and now that the security in the state has deteriorated, we cannot continue to keep quiet.

    Read Also: Police parade 79 kidnap suspects, others in Kaduna

    “You the press should tell the truth. Recall that the Northern Governors on the first of this month granted amnesty to the bandits with conditions, it was not a blanket amnesty, but it was targeted at the bandits who carry arms. Few days later, they are yet to comply and the situation has escalated.

    “It appeared that the amnesty has even become a licence for them to intensify criminal attacks against hapless citizens, especially farmers.”

    He warned that as the rainy season sets in, the situation is becoming precarious and that famine may set in.

    He urged the President to act now, adding that it was not a matter for Katsina State government but for the President to urgently address.

    Mamman, who was also a staunch supporter of the President, especially during the 2015 general elections, had fallen out with him in the 2019 general elections when he openly campaigned for the PDP presidential candidate.

  • Two arrested for impersonating Osinbajo, Buhari’s wife

    Two students of the Department of Business Administration, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State, Amos Ehis Asuelimen, and Kelvin Ogashi have been arrested for impersonating Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo and the President’s wife, Mrs. Aisha Buhari.

    They were arrested during a tactical operation carried out by the Edo State Command of the Department of State Services (DSS).

    Amos was arrested at Ubiaja in Esan South East Local Government. Kelvin, aged 18, was nabbed on old Agbor Road in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area.

    Read Also: Alleged indecent advert: Tekno arrested

    Amos, 30, was alleged to have created a fictitious Facebook account with the photograph of Prof. Osinbajo, with the purpose of scamming people.  Kelvin created an Instagram account with the name and picture of Mrs.. Aisha Buhari.

    Parading the suspects before reporters in Benin City, DSS Director Brown Ekwoaba, who was represented by the Deputy Director, Security Enforcement, Mr. Galadima Byange, said the suspects have confessed to the crime.

  • Keystone Bank restrategises to drive growth

    Keystone Bank Limited has appointed athree executive directors as members of its board of directors as part of a strategy to realign its operations for sustained business growth.

    The new directors who were appointed at the 49th annual general meeting (AGM) of the bank in Lagos, subject to the approval of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), are Messrs Tijani Aliyu, Olaniran Olayinka and Lawal Jibrin Ahmed.

    Its Chairman, Alhaji Umaru Modibbo said the promotion of the three former general managers to the position of executive directors is in line with the bank’s corporate governance and culture of maximising its human capital through consistent leadership development and training.

    ‘’Since we restructured, we have intentionally and proactively nurtured our talents in readiness for future leadership opportunities that will arise in the organisation. It is, therefore, a major feat for us that we were able to appoint the three new executive directors from our internally groomed executives,’’ Modibbo said.

    Its Divisional Head, Marketing & Corporate Communications, Omobolanle Osotule, said  the appointment of the directors was in line with the strategic business intent and corporate realignment of the bank to sustain continued business growth.

    She added that the new executive directors would now join the executive management office to pursue and deliver on the bank’s strategic business objectives bringing to bear their in-depth wealth of banking experience garnered over the years across various sectors of the economy.

    Read Also: Access Bank opens USSD channel to DiamondXtra

    Aliyu holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from Bayero University, Kano and an MBA from the Bangor Business School, United Kingdom (UK). His experience spans more than two decades in both regulatory and top financial institutions in Nigeria. He is a member of various professional bodies and has attended various courses within and outside Nigeria including INSEAD Business School and the US Federal Reserve Bank in Washington.

    He is a consummate risk professional and a member of the Risk Managers Association of Nigeria (RIMAN) and the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN). His experience in the financial services sector covers operations, treasury, banking supervision finance and mergers and acquisitions as well as risk management. Until his elevation, he was the Chief Risk Officer, Keystone Bank Limited.

    Olaniran Olayinka holds a First Class Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s Degree in Economics from the prestigious University of Lagos.

    Until his elevation, he was the Regional Head, Corporate Bank and West, Keystone Bank Limited.

    Jibrin Ahmed holds an LL.B degree from the University of Jos in Plateau State and an LL.M degree from the University of Dundee in the UK. He has more than 19 years post-call experience that cuts across legal practice, banking regulation, process improvement, conflict resolution, project management and regulatory compliance.

    He has attended several executive courses and programmes in banking operations, credit, risk management, business process re-engineering and change management, among others.

    He had a four years  stint with PricewaterhouseCoopers and 25 years banking experience covering operations, human resources management, corporate banking, commercial banking, retail banking and institutional banking.

    He is a Fellow of the Compliance Institute of Nigeria (FCIN) and has attended top global educational and professional institutions including the London School of Economics (LSE), UNESCO-IHE, Institute for Water Management Delft, Netherlands, the Clingendael Institute for International Relations, Den Haag, Netherlands, US Federal Reserve, Washington DC, USA and Financial Stability Institute of the Bank for International Settlements. Until his elevation, he was the Chief Compliance Officer, Keystone Bank Limited.

  • Ex-NCS presidents urge new execs on IT policy, local content

    Former presidents, Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), have advised the incoming National Executive Council (NEC) of the Society to step up campaign on Information Technology (IT) Policy advocacy and local content development.

    They say these are key to the growth of the computing profession as well as  national development.

    They gave the advice during the official handing over to the new NEC in Lagos, on Wednesday following the group’s successful election at its 2019 International Conference and Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Gombe State last month.

    Speaking on behalf of other ex-presidents such as Alhaji Ladi Ogunye, Dr. Chris Nwannenna and Prof. Charles Uwadia, immediate past president, Prof Adesola Aderounmu, who handed over to Prof. Adesina Simon Sodiya, stressed the need for full advocacy on IT policy  and implementation by the government.

    He said: “The new NEC should be able to engage government in the right IT policy implementation that will help the country to grow, especially in the area of local content policy implementation.

    “Local content policy implementation is key and if we do not get it right, there will be a lot of challenges for the country.

    Read Also: Technology redefining human capital devt, says NITAD

    “We started advocacy in the area of local content during my two terms of four years but not much was achieved in the area of local content development and implementation. We need the right IT policy that will drive local content in the country. By local content, I mean indigenous software. If we are encouraged to develop local content in the area of software development, it will go a long way to boost employment in the country.”

    He said the new INEC of NCS also needed to focus on incubation centres that will provide the enabling environment, which will address the challenge of using IT to address national issues.

    “In the last three years, we have added over 2,500 members to NCS and I want the new INEC to continue in the membership drive, Aderounmu,” he added.

    Alhaji  Ogunye, Dr.  Nwannenna and Prof.  Uwadia, stressed the need for collaboration and use of technology to drive processes such as meetings and elections.

    Responding, Prof Sodiya promised to go beyond the advice. He also promised to carry out advocacy on the need for government agencies to drive governance with IT.

    “We have identified some government agencies that are not IT complaint and we are ready to take them up on IT governance.

    “I work in an academic environment, a university to be precise, and every five years, government brings asset declaration forms for us to fill and we kept filling the same form. If government is serious about fighting corruption, then it should automate most of its processes especially the assert declaration form filling.

    “We cannot develop as a nation if government processes are not automated, and to achieve this, government must deploy IT in governance to boost efficiency and productivity.

    “At NCS, we will ensure we give direction to government and also ensure that proper implementation is carried out in the area of using IT to drive governance.

    “IT Policy implementation is key to us as a nation and we have committees addressing the issue and one of them is the ICT4Development Committee.

    “With the committee, we intend to put together a roadmap for IT adoption and development in Nigeria. NITDA is doing a lot in IT policy implementation and we will continue to assist in ensuring that the right IT Policy is formulated and implemented.”

  • Lagos assures MAN of congenial environment

    The Lagos State governor, Mr Babajide Sanwoolu, has assured the Manufacturuers Association of Nigeria (MAN) of a congenial business operating environment.

    Represented at the 52nd Annual General Meeting (AGM) of MAN yesterday by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Commerce Industry and Cooperative, Mrs Omobolanle Ogunmola,  the governor said the state will create the right environment to boost the economy and grow  the gross domestic product (GDP).

    He said some businesses have relocated to other West Africa countries due to the insecurity.

    Read Also: Lagos, NCC, EU, others support innovation

    MAN President, Engr. Mansur Ahmed, said vibrancy in businesses has to do with local content. According to him, the business record of last month showed an appreciable improvement, stressing that this calls for celebration.

    He said the index of the manufacturing sector is growing very fast in tandem with building materials, financial services sector and oil and gas.

    The guest lecturer, Prof. Olawale Ajai of the Department of Political/Social and Legal Education, Lagos Business School,  blamed the woes of the country on the falling standard of  education. This, he said, has made productivity rate very low. This, he said has affected the human capital and production in the country.

    He said for example, the academic system in the 80’s was 6-3-3-4 which has changed to 9-3-4 system due to collapse of instructional infrasture that has also affected the growth of the children.

  • Court stops National Assembly from taking over Edo Assembly

    Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered parties to a suit challenging the alleged plans by the National Assembly to interfere in the affairs of the Edo State House of Assembly not to take any further steps on the issue pending the determination of the substantive case.

    Justice Taiwo Taiwo, who is sitting as the court’s vacation judge, gave the order for parties to maintain status quo ante bellum, while adjourning the hearing of the substantive suit until August 22, 2019.

    Justice Taiwo said the order was intended to prevent parties, particularly the respondents from foisting on the court a fait accompli.

    The judge said: “The defendants have been served with court processes. As law makers, they ought to respect the laws made by them, and one of which, flowing from the law, is that when a matter is in court and parties are seized of the matter, all must ensure that the authority of the court is not is not trampled upon.

    “Parties should allow the court to reach a decision one way or the other, with respect to the main issue before it. To this end, I shall make an order that the defendants’ counsel file their response to the originating summons within seven days from now, terminating on the 15th of August 2019.

    “The plaintiffs shall respond within five days of the service on them of the response of the defendants.

    Meanwhile the court will adjourn the hearing of the main mater and all pending applications to the 22nd of August 2019.

    “Flowing from my starting point, the defendants and in fact, all parties must maintain status quo ante bellum in order not to foist a fait accompli on the court, pursuant to the accelerated hearing granted by this court in this suit.”

    Before the court’s ruling, lawyer to the plaintiffs, Ola Olanipekun (SAN) had expressed fear and noted that there were threats by the respondents to tamper with the subject of the case.

    The judge refused to hear the plaintiffs’ motion for interlocutory injunctions, but elected to hear the substantive suit and granted accelerated hearing.

    The suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/815/2019 was filed on July 17 by the Speaker of Edo State House of Assembly, Francis Okiye and some others, with which they seek to, among others, to stop the National Assembly from taking over the functions of the state Assembly.

    The National Assembly and its Clerk were listed as plaintiffs.

    It is the plaintiff’s contention that the National Assembly lacks the powers to assume the functions of a state Assembly that has been validly inaugurated.

    The Edo State’s Seventh Assembly was inaugurated on June 17.

    The inauguration became controversial as only nine out of the 24 members-elect were in the chamber during inauguration.

    The Senate and the House of Representatives separately threatened to take over the Assembly should Governor, Godwin Obaseki failed to issue a fresh proclamation for the assembly’s inauguration.

    The Senate proceeded to pass a resolution, giving the governor a week to issue the proclamation letter or risk the takeover of the Assembly by the federal legislators.

    When the case earlier came up on July 31, Olanipekun noted that despite being served with court papers in relation to the case, the defendants, the Senate passed a resolution the previous day (July30, 2019) for the takeover of the assembly if the governor fails to comply with its resolution.

    He said the defendants’ lawyers had also, on the previous day, served the plaintiffs a counter affidavit to their motion for interlocutory injunction and written address and also filed a memorandum of conditional appearance.

    Olanipekun expressed disappointment that even when the governor had already issued a proclamation, which was duly gazette, members of the Assembly duly  inaugurated, with principal officers elected, while  the house has since been functioning, the National Assembly was threatening to take it over if the governor failed to issue a fresh proclamation.

    But the House of Representatives has faulted the ruling restraining the National Assembly and its agents from taking over the Edo Assembly.

    Read Also: Buhari vows to ensure fair play in Bauchi, Edo Assembly crisis

    Chairman, House Committee on Media, Benjamin Kalu, said the ruling poses a problem to the principle of Separation of Powers and that the National Assembly will surely appeal.

    His words: “This Ninth House believes in the democratic principle of separation of powers; which is why this court ruling poses a problem. It is a core constitutional duty of the National Assembly that the court has attempted to prevent.

    “This is like the National Assembly telling the President not to present the National Budget or like the Executive stopping the Courts from giving a ruling or judgement.”

    Kalu said no arm of the government has the right to abdicate power to another arm, adding that it is contrary to the doctrine of separation of powers that one arm of government should prevent another arm from carrying out its constitutional duty.

    He said: “The Constitution in Section 11(4) is clear on this. Where the House of Assembly of any State is unable to perform its functions by reason of the situation prevailing in that State, the National Assembly may intervene and take over the legislative functions of that House until such a time as the House of Assembly is able to resume its functions.

    “It is no coincidence that this particular duty of the National Assembly to take over a State House that is unable to function falls under the section of the Constitution that deals with ‘Public Order and Public Security’.

    This is a matter of restoring public order and security in Edo State and the National Assembly has to perform its constitutional duty. It should not be a question for debate.

    “Now maybe the courts can (if they find reason after the takeover) say that the takeover was wrong based on their own interpretation of Section 11 but not to preempt a constitutional role which is Sacrosanct.

    “Surely, the doctrine of ripeness is applicable here.  In some democratic climes judicial restraint, which is procedural approach to the exercise of judicial review, urges judges to refrain from deciding legal issues, and especially constitutional ones, except where the decision is necessary in resolving a concrete dispute between adverse parties.

    “As a substantive approach, it urges judges considering constitutional questions to grant substantial deference to the views of the elected arms of government and invalidate their actions only when constitutional limits have clearly been violated.”

    He said though “we must respect it for now, the National Assembly will surely appeal the ruling.”

  • Buhari vows to ensure fair play in Bauchi, Edo Houses of Assembly crises

    The crises rocking the Houses of Assembly in Bauchi and Edo states may soon be over as President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday promised to work with relevant constitutional bodies to resolve the impasse.

    Urging members not to give up their rights and the rights of those who elected them, the President also admonished them not to compromise on their individual integrity so as not to divide the House and the party.

    Buhari spoke while receiving members of the Bauchi State House of Assembly and other stakeholders at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity Femi Adesina, the President said: “I am aware of the problem in Edo and Bauchi states and I try to appreciate my position as the President, the political situation vis-a-vis the constitution of our country, the role of the commissioners of police and the party.  I always like to be on the side of the constitution.”

    He promised to liaise with the Minister of Justice when inaugurated, and the Inspector-General, to ensure that the rights of the constituencies and individuals were not abused in any form.

    The President also advised them to stay firm, bearing in mind their responsibilities to their constituencies and always keep the party in the state and at the centre informed.

    The party members led by the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole, had briefed the President on the events leading to the crisis in the House.

    The 17 aggrieved APC lawmakers, who were inaugurated last Friday following reconciliation with their colleagues, have, however, made U-turn and renounced their inauguration after meeting with President Buhari.

    Read Also: Presidency says Buhari remains best hope for Nigerian economy

    The lawmakers were led to the meeting with the President by Kawuwa Shehu Damina, who had earlier laid claim to the speakership of the Bauchi State Assembly until he and his aggrieved colleagues sheathed their swords and accepted Abubakar Suleiman, who was elected in controversial circumstances by 11 members as Speaker.

    The 31-member Bauchi Assembly is comprised of 22 APC members; eight Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members and a New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) member.

    Speaking with State House reporters, the lawmakers said they no longer abide by the reconciliation they reached five days earlier with their colleagues and the Governor Bala Mohammed.

    Speaking for his colleagues, Damina said they now demand a fresh proclamation for another inauguration of the Assembly for a new speaker to be elected.

    Damina said: “The purpose of our coming to see Mr. President is at the instance of our party. So, we came to brief him on what is happening in the Bauchi State House of Assembly since the purported inauguration which as you are all aware, two leaderships emerged. Primarily he (the President) was fully briefed directly from us.”

    Asked what the true situation was having been inaugurated earlier, he said: “The situation is, as it is now, because in Arithmetic, there is nothing that will make 11 to be greater than 20; and later that 11 grew to 13. So, that is the position.”

    On how they intend to resolve this issue, he said:  “Let me clearly state that this is not about any individual. All what we from the APC are asking for is a sane institution irrespective of who emerges as a leader.

    “All we are saying is that the right thing based on constitutional provisions should be done – with a proclamation issued, specifying date, time and venue should be announced. Once that is done election should be conducted and whoever emerges as leader, fine and good.

    “If you are following the event where parallel leadership emerged, our senior colleagues at the National Assembly threw a motion by one representative from Bauchi, which resulted in its adoption and later setting up a committee. They even visited Bauchi and reported back to the plenary for the House of Representatives, which already a decision was taken, given a four weeks ultimatum to the governor within which to issue a fresh proclamation for proper inauguration of the state assembly to take place.

    “So, we have briefed Mr. President being the leader of our party and father of the country and a custodian of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, to seek his advice.”

    On the position of the constitution regarding proclamation and if it was right to make proclamation two times, Damina said: “I don’t want to go into the details. But what actually happened was, on the day the initial proclamation was made was for a date which was Thursday, a time of 10am and a venue of the House of Assembly Chambers.

    “All of us especially of the APC were ready in compliance with the invitation. We arrived in the chamber at 7:53am and to our dismay as at the time of our arrival, 11 out of the 31 members of the assembly members were already there and had conducted election for the speaker and other principal officers.

    “So, what we did since the invitation letter was reading 10am, we decided to wait in the chamber. But unfortunately, just as we were trying to wait at the chamber, a teargas was released forcing us to leave the chamber and one of us who is an asthmatic patient was affected and rushed to hospital.

    “What we did was to comply with the constitutional provisions of waiting for 10 o’clock which we did. We gave an additional time of one hour to see if the governor and other members would come so we can do the needful but they didn’t so we conducted our elections. That is how the second parallel leadership emerged.”

    He said that the emergence of parallel speakers plunged the House into crisis, insisting that only the re-issuance of a fresh proclamation by the governor would solve the problem.

  • Police parade 79 kidnap suspects, others in Kaduna

    The Kaduna State Police Command has paraded 79 suspected kidnappers, armed bandits and other criminals at Rijana on Kaduna-Abuja highway.

    Commissioner of Police Ali Aji Janga, who paraded the suspects before reporters, said 35 guns and 439 cattle were recovered from the suspects.

    The CP said the suspects were arrested from different locations within the state in July.

    Janga said: “The gallant determination of our crack operatives such as SARS, AKU, IRT and other units have again recorded some successes with the apprehension of 79 suspects for various crimes which include:

    “Criminal conspiracy, armed robbery, kidnapping, cattle rustling, culpable homicide, shop breaking and theft, impersonation and receiving stolen property.

    “Pursuant to our collective resolve, high sense of commitment and relentless determination, the command has sustained a serious manhunt on bandits and other perpetrators of crime within the state with a view to arresting and bringing them to book.

    Read Also: Soldiers kill 5 bandits, rescue 2 kidnap victims in Kaduna

    “I am also glad to inform the general public that we are currently reviewing our structural deployment on Kaduna-Abuja Road, Kaduna-Zaria Road and Kaduna-Birnin Gwari Road with a view to make the highways safer for commuters while the efforts to rid the command of banditry and other violent crimes continue.”

    The police boss also added that exhibits recovered include nine Ak47 rifles, one unserviceable LAR rifle and 11 locally made rifles and pistols.

    “Also, one Pump Action, three Dane guns, 954 rounds of live ammunition of different calibres and 24 live cartridges, one knife, one hacksaw, N30,000, two handsets, one face mask, two pair of canvass, four and half (41/2) Bundle of Brocade (Shadda) materials and eleven caps were recovered.

    “We also recovered one KIA Serato Motor Vehicle with Reg. No TT 547 AA Black in colour, one Toyota Corolla S Ash in colour with Reg. No. GWA 872 FM, one unregistered Mercedes Benz C350 Ash in colour.”

    The CP added that 439 cattles, 18 sheep, eight donkeys, one tricycle with Reg. No. MKA 248 WY, six motorcycles, eight Plasma Television, one HP Laptop, One Tiger Generator and four cutlasses were also recovered from the suspects.

    “I am calling on the good people of Kaduna State to feel free and go about their normal businesses as the command has appreciably reduced the rate of crime within the state.

    “I remain grateful to the media for being our window and supportive in the fight against criminality in State,” he said.

    The CP also hailed the gallant efforts of officers and men of the command for their selfless determination and professional manner in the handling of the violent protests by members of the proscribed Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN).

  • Flood: Lagos, FCT, Rivers, 28 others get warning alert

    Lagos, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Rivers and 28 other states on Wednesday got flooding warning alert from the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA).

    The agency said that about 279 local government areas in the identified states are at risk following the rise in the water levels of Rivers Niger and Benue.

    According to the NIHSA, the 30 states may be affected by both river and urban flooding as flood from the Niger Basin would be arriving Nigeria next month.

    NIHSA said daily records from its hydrological measuring stations across the country show steady rise in water levels.

    Its Director-General Clement Nze broke the news during a briefing on flood updates across the country yesterday in Abuja.

    He listed the states as: Lagos, Rivers, FCT, Sokoto, Anambra, Kano, Bayelsa, Borno, Jigawa, Edo,Katsina, Kebbi, Niger, Zamfara, Kaduna, Kwara, Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Plateau, Taraba, Yobe, Benue, Kogi, Nasarawa, Delta, Ogun, Osun, Oyo, Abia and Cross River.

    The director-general said 15 of the states had been experiencing urban flooding as predicted by the agency this year.

    Nze said: “Daily records from the agency’s hydrological measuring stations across the country show steady rise in water levels. Particularly, the hydrological measuring station downstream the confluence in Lokoja, Kogi State, show likelihood of spread of damages that may arise from flooding incidents in 2019.

    “There is high probability that more states would still be affected by both river flooding and urban flooding as flood from the upper reaches the Niger Basin and would be arriving Nigeria in a month’s time.

    “The (30) states that are at high risk of flooding include; Katsina, Kebbi, Niger, Sokoto, Zamfara, Kaduna, Kwara, Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Plateau, Taraba, Yobe, Benue, Kogi, Nasarawa, Anambra, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Edo, Lagos, Ogun, Osun, Oyo, Abia, Cross River, Borno, Jigawa, and Kano and FCT.”

    Read Also: Flood: ‘Declare Imo communities disaster zone’

    Nze said that the warning became necessary to alert Nigerians that the country would soon experience the peak of flooding season for the year 2019.

    He reminded the states that river and coastal flooding should be expected to come into place as the nation approaches the peak of the raining season.

    According to him, some of the flooding witnessed in some major cities and communities are expected to continue.

    He said: “The localised urban flooding incidents being witnessed in some cities and communities in the country are expected to continue. The flooding incidents are due to high rainfall intensity of long duration, rainstorms, blockage of drainage system and poor urban planning resulting in erection of structures within the floodplains and waterways.

    “River flooding, as well as coastal flooding, is expected to come into place as the nation approaches the peak of raining season.

    “Therefore, states and local governments should endeavour to remove structures built within the floodplains, clear blocked drainage, culverts and other waterways.’’

    Nze said that the agency was closely monitoring the flooding across the country with the attendant loss of lives and property.

    He said that the flooding was manifesting as predicted by the agency in its Annual Flood Outlook in May this year.

    The NIHSA boss added that 36 states, including the FCT, would witness various levels of flooding.

    He said: “This means that the relevant stakeholders, especially the individuals and state governments, have failed to heed the flood predictions for 2019, thereby resulting in avoidable flooding incidents leading to loss of lives and property, disruption of economic activities and loss of several hectares of agricultural lands.”