The Ogun State Government has urged residents and relevant stakeholders to remain vigilant and prepare for the expected 72-hour rainfall and possible flooding forecast for the state in the coming days.
Deputy Governor Noimot Salako-Oyedele gave the warning in Abeokuta while speaking at a full-scale flood disaster response simulation exercise organised by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) for South-West states.
Salako-Oyedele said the forecast underscored the need for proper planning, early warning, public awareness and effective emergency response to minimise the impact of flooding on lives and property.
She said the 2026 Seasonal Climate Prediction and Annual Flood Outlook had identified several flood-prone locations across Nigeria, including parts of Ogun State, making preparedness essential.
“The 2026 Seasonal Climate Prediction and Annual Flood Outlook have identified a number of high-risk flood-prone locations across the country, including areas within Ogun State. This reinforces the need for us to remain,” she said.
The deputy governor described the simulation as timely, saying it provided an opportunity to assess the readiness of government institutions and other critical stakeholders to respond collectively to a flood emergency.
According to her, emergency plans and response protocols must be subjected to practical testing to determine how quickly responders can mobilise, how effectively agencies can communicate and coordinate, and how efficiently assistance can reach affected communities.
She commended NEMA for its continued collaboration with the Ogun State Emergency Management Agency (OGSEMA), saying the partnership had strengthened the state’s capacity to manage floods, fires and other emergencies.
“Over the years, this partnership has strengthened our capacity to respond to floods, fires and other emergencies. It has facilitated better coordination, faster deployment of responders and improved humanitarian assistance to affected persons,” she said.
Salako-Oyedele said the state government had continued to invest in disaster preparedness by supporting OGSEMA with resources, including training for personnel, local emergency responders, Local Government officials, volunteers and community emergency teams.
She added that the government had also supported the deployment of rescue equipment, ambulances and other emergency resources, while providing relief materials and financial assistance when necessary to communities affected by disasters.
However, the deputy governor stressed that flood prevention and disaster management could not be left to government agencies alone.
She urged residents to take early warning messages seriously, avoid constructing on waterways and drainage channels, stop indiscriminate dumping of refuse and cooperate with authorities whenever evacuation or other preventive measures become necessary.
She also called on traditional rulers, community leaders, local government authorities, security agencies, health workers, volunteers and the media to play active roles in disseminating emergency information.
“Our traditional and community leaders, local governments, security agencies, health workers, volunteers and the media are equally important partners in ensuring that information reaches our people quickly and that communities know what to do before, during and after an emergency,” she said.
Representing the NEMA Director-General, the agency’s Director of Search and Rescue, Commodore Nature Usman, similarly called for stronger coordination, communication and emergency response mechanisms.
Usman said flooding remained one of Nigeria’s most recurrent and devastating natural hazards, with consequences for lives, livelihoods, infrastructure, the environment and communities.
He said the increasing frequency and severity of flood events made it necessary for authorities and communities to strengthen preparedness, early warning systems, anticipatory action and response capabilities.
He cited the flood disaster recorded in Nepal on August 26, 2026, as a reminder of the destructive potential of flooding, noting that flash floods along the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli River corridors caused extensive loss of life and damage to homes, roads, bridges and other critical infrastructure.
According to him, the incident reinforced the need for communities and first responders to heed early warnings and remain vigilant.
Usman said the simulation exercise would enable participating agencies to test their response plans, identify weaknesses and improve inter-agency collaboration and interoperability.
“Today, we are simulating a crisis so that we can be better prepared to save lives when a real disaster occurs. Let me reiterate that preparedness is key to saving lives,” he said.
He added that the ability of authorities to anticipate, respond to and recover from disasters depended largely on the quality of planning, training, coordination and cooperation undertaken before emergencies occurred.
Salako-Oyedele urged participants in the exercise to treat it as a practical learning opportunity and use the lessons identified to close gaps in communication, coordination and emergency response.
She said the ultimate measure of the exercise would be whether its lessons resulted in faster, safer and better-coordinated responses when an actual disaster occurred.
