Panic in Benue as Cameroon releases water from dam

Cameroonian authorities have announced the release of water from Ladgo dam to residents of Makurdi, Guma, Agatu, Giwer and other affected areas in Benue State who are now in panic. The Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Mr Adikpo Agbatse, had announced on state radio during theweek that the Cameroonian authorities would release water from the dam during the weekend and enjoined the people in vulnerable areas to be on alert, particularly, when the volume of water from River Benue begins to rise. Saturday Tribune went round vulnerable areas in the capital city when this was announced as some residents expressed their fears and called on the state government to immediately provide a comfortable place for them. A woman who lives at New Garage area, one of the worst hit last year, told Saturday Tribune that the family is already planning to relocate to the eastern part of the country to avoid the experience of last year. According to her, “someone called my husband this morning and informed him of the radio announcement of the repeat of the flood incident anytime from now. Immediately we heard this, we decided to send our children to the village to prevent them from experiencing the flood of last year as we were stranded in a room that looked like a cubicle when the flood sacked us from here. Also, Mr James Atser, who lives along Gboko road, one of the devastated areas last year, said that there was little he could do since he could not remove his house from the area, but called on the state government to make available a better place for people who may likely be displaced by the flood. The SEMA boss who spoke to Saturday Tribune said that Cameroonian authorities had sent alerts to the affected states, warningthat it would release water from herdam this weekend, adding that theyhad released some, penultimate Thursday.