Ebonyi activates flood assessments and promises relief for displaced families

The Ebonyi State Government has ordered expanded assessments and emergency support for communities affected by recent flash floods, including Akaeze in Ivo Local Government Area. The flooding submerged farmland, damaged property and displaced households, according to a statement issued on Sunday by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Ikeuwa Omebeh. Omebeh said Governor Francis Nwifuru had directed the Ebonyi State Emergency Management Agency to intensify field assessments and coordinate immediate humanitarian intervention.

The proposed measures include relief, rehabilitation and other assistance intended to reduce the impact on affected residents. The commissioner said the state was also working with federal agencies, including the National Emergency Management Agency, to obtain complementary support through existing intergovernmental disaster-response arrangements. He said the administration’s response would address both immediate needs and longer-term resilience.

However, he urged residents to remain calm and cooperate with emergency officials carrying out assessments in affected areas. Residents were warned not to return prematurely to flood-prone locations or occupy buildings that may have been structurally weakened. The government said people should wait until competent authorities declared such places safe.

The state also advised residents in low-lying areas to follow weather bulletins and flood warnings from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency and local emergency officials. They were urged to comply promptly with evacuation instructions, avoid crossing flooded roads and bridges, and report emerging threats to authorities. Omebeh cautioned political actors against using the flooding for campaign purposes ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He called on parties, candidates, community leaders and other stakeholders to keep public discussion responsible and avoid inflammatory rhetoric that could add to the anxiety of affected communities. The government said intervention would be guided by verified assessments and the needs of residents. It also praised affected families, traditional institutions, security personnel and first responders, saying state emergency machinery had been activated.