The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has called on all levels of government and Nigerians living in flood-prone areas to take urgent and proactive steps to mitigate the anticipated impact of the 2025 seasonal floods.
The Forum was reacting to recent predictions by the Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), which listed 1,249 communities across 176 local government areas in 30 states—including 16 in the North and the Federal Capital Territory—as areas likely to be affected by floods this year.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Prof. Tukur Muhammad-Baba, the ACF expressed concern that the floods may worsen existing socio-economic hardships across the country.
“Communities without adequate preparations typically experience deaths, destruction of farmlands, property damage, disruptions to livelihoods, and food shortages. For 2025, the floods could not come at a worse time, given the dire economic and other existential constraints that citizens have been living with,” the statement said.
While acknowledging ongoing sensitisation campaigns by the Federal Government to alert the public on the looming threat, the ACF noted that such efforts are yet to be visible in many communities, even as the rainy season is already underway in several parts of the country.
The Forum urged federal, state, and local government agencies to intensify awareness and preparedness campaigns, and for emergency response and relief agencies to stockpile food, medicines, drinking water, and other essential supplies for vulnerable communities.
It also called on authorities to ensure the repair of damaged infrastructure—such as roads, bridges, schools, hospitals, and markets—before the floods hit.
The ACF further stressed the need for strict enforcement of planning laws, building codes, and environmental regulations to prevent avoidable disasters. “Incompetence, misconduct, dereliction of duty, quackery, and corruption must not go unpunished,” the statement said.
It also urged citizens to adopt proper environmental and hygienic practices, avoid blocking drainages and water channels, and refrain from indiscriminate dumping of refuse.
The ACF however reaffirmed its commitment to supporting efforts that will safeguard lives and property in the face of the predicted floods.