The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has raised an alarming warning about the potential displacement of 4.2 million Nigerians as the annual rainy season intensifies in 2023.
The IOM’s 2023 Nigeria Response Overview Disaster Preparedness Plan underscores the escalating threat of climate-induced disasters in the country, demanding immediate action.
According to the report, a staggering $20 million is required to protect the most vulnerable communities through shelter and relocation efforts from May to October.
The funds are earmarked for immediate rescue missions and long-term resettlement and rehabilitation initiatives, as specified by the IOM.
Nigeria is no stranger to seasonal floods, but the devastation caused by the 2022 floods was unprecedented.
UNICEF reported that the disaster affected a staggering 3.2 million people, including 1.9 million children, making it the worst flood in a decade.
In a previous instance, the 2012 flood disaster, the worst in over 40 years, displaced nearly 2.3 million people, leading to 363 fatalities and causing damage to approximately 597,476 houses.
The destructive impact continued in October 2022, with floods displacing over 1.4 million people, causing over 603 deaths, more than 2,400 injuries, and damaging 82,035 houses and about 676,000 hectares of farmlands were affected.
Among the hardest-hit states, Bayelsa in South-South Nigeria suffered the most with around 700,000 displaced individuals and nearly 300 communities submerged after torrential rains.
Jigawa up North, another severely affected state among the 34, witnessed the destruction of over 257 health facilities and schools between August and November 2022.
Additionally, Kogi, a critical confluence state, faced the submergence of major interstate roads, bridges, schools, hospitals, and residential buildings, causing significant disruptions to supply chains, leading to a temporary petrol scarcity in the Federal Capital Territory and northern regions.
Tragically, a boat carrying 76 individuals from the flooded Ogbaru area of Anambra State capsized.
In response to the impending rainy season, the IOM is preparing a set of early actions to bolster the preparedness and response capacities of government authorities and local communities while strengthening coping mechanisms.
