The Federal Government of Nigeria and State Governments are taking steps to mitigate the anticipated severe flooding in 2023 as the rainy season starts.

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) had warned that this year’s flood might be worse than in 2022.

Farmlands, infrastructure, houses, vehicles and other properties were destroyed in 34 States- Adamawa, Anambra, Bayelsa, Kebbi, Kogi, Kaduna, Niger, Yobe, and Zamfara were among the most affected.

The situation was so serious that the United Nations (UN) released $10.5million from the Nigeria Humanitarian Fund (NHF) and the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to alleviate the impacts.

The 2023 Flood Outlook issued by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) in February revealed that 178 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in 32 States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are under threat.

During the mid-term review of the Sendai Framework For Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR) held last Friday at the UN Headquarters in New York, NEMA assured of its preparedness.

in Nigeria’s statement obtained by Maidawaarewa,  spokesperson Manzo Ezekiel, shows the 2022 flood affected 4 million citizens, displaced 2 million, caused 665 deaths, destroyed 355,986 houses and 944,989 hectares of farmlands.

The Director General, Mustapha Habib Ahmed said the Federal Government has set up a Presidential Committee for the development of a comprehensive Plan of Action for Preventing Flood Disaster.

The plan is to integrate structural and non-structural measures, ecosystem needs, land and water management, and set out coordination among stakeholders for effective flood management and implementation actions.

Ahmed announced the launch of the 2023 Climate-Related Preparedness and Mitigation Strategies, a document to assist partners plan measures to safeguard lives, livelihood, infrastructure, productive assets and the environment.

In collaboration with the Nigerian National Space Development Agency (NASDA), NEMA is increasing the availability of early warning systems and risk information through the media and other communications channels.

The agency has also partnered the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on the establishment of National Disaster Database and Risk-informed development to address current and future risks.

“NEMA has commenced the conduct of National and Sub-National Platforms for DRR. The events took place in three of the six geo-political zones of Nigeria with the rest expected to be covered before the 3rd week of June,” Amed disclosed.

The DG requested technical support on capacity building, training on early warning forecasting, hazard risk analysis, Post Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) and Sendai Framework monitor and reporting.

Meanwhile, States too are stepping up efforts. In Anambra, the high-risk areas are Ogbaru, Ayamelum, Anambra East, Anambra West, Onitsha North, Onitsha South, Awka North, Idemili South, Ekwusigo and Ihiala LGAs.

The government appealed to residents in low areas to evacuate their family ahead of time.

It confirmed the setting up of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps for early evacuees.

“We have warned of the need for desilting of water channels. People should stop constructing in water plains and across water channels,” Commissioner for Information, Paul Nwosu told journalists.

“Clear gutters and drainages, do not dispose of your trash there; move to higher ground before the flood becomes neck deep. If cut off from the designated point, climb and stay on the high platform.

“SEMA has issued flood mitigation measures to residents of riverine areas, including making concrete plans for timely harvesting and evacuation of farm produce and livestock to avoid losses.

“People should not wait until the flood comes to harvest. They must make concrete plans to secure their household properties and essential belongings as much as possible before the flood sets in,” he said.

Last year, Anmabra recorded high mortality in riverine areas, including the passing of three school kids in Onitsha and the death of 50 persons after a boat carrying 80 passengers capsized in Ogbaru.

In Kogi, the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) told journalists that the authorities are taking proactive steps in view of the devastating 2022 flood.

Nine LGAs along the Niger and Benue rivers were then severely affected: Lokoja, Kogi-Koto, Ajaokuta, Ofu, Igalamela-Odolu, Bassa, Idah, Ibaji, and Omala.

“We have embarked on an aggressive awareness to intimate the public about the projected 2023 floods and the need for residents to relocate to high ground,” said Director of Relief Unit, Ajibade Abimbola.

In Yobe, SEMA Executive Secretary, DR. Mohammed Goje, 13 Ministries, Department and Agencies, non-governmental organisations and humanitarian partners resolved to take joint actions.

They agreed to liaise with religious, traditional and community leaders to increase awareness across and continuously monitor the dam gauge of rivers.

SEMA and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) are to identify relevant MDAs to draft a 5-year plan on flood mitigation and control.

The government added that it would identify schools prone to flooding and schools occupied by IDPs; timely release of funds for emergency response is expected.

Meanwhile, in the first week of May, Labba Kuka in Mutai ward of Gujba LGA recorded a flood following a heavy downpour which killed 3 people, injured 9 and displaced 271 households.

The governor of Zamfara state, Bello Matawalle, has alleged that the chairperson of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa, begged him for $2million.

On Wednesday, Matawalle asked Bawa to ensure that the EFCC’s probe didn’t only target outgoing governors, but also presidency officials.

Reacting to Matawalle’s comments, the EFCC insisted that it was probing the governor for allegedly diverting N70billion meant for contracts in the state.

READ ALSO: Gov Matawalle under probe for N70bn fraud – EFCC

But speaking in an interview with BBC Hausa on Friday, Matawalle claimed he is being investigated because he “didn’t offer the EFCC chairperson the money he requested from him”.

He said: “I am not resisting being probed. I’m still the governor and have immunity, no one has invited me.

“The EFCC said they were investigating me? It was when I spoke that they made allegations against me.

“He (Bawa) knows what he begged me to give him which I didn’t.

“The allegations against me are lies. He begged me to give him two million dollars. There is a house where I met him and he knows it, where he told me that he wants to see me.”

One David Chimezie, 23, was on Thursday docked in an Iyaganku Magistrate’s Court, Ibadan, for allegedly stealing his aunt’s N700,000.

Chimezie, whose residential address was not provided, was charged with theft.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The prosecutor, Insp Olufemi Omilana, told the court that Chimezie committed the offence on Dec. 24, 2022, at 6:30 p.m., at the Eleyele area of Ibadan.

Omilana said that the defendant stole the money from Mrs Chioma Onyegbula, adding that Onyegbula borrowed the money from a cooperative society.

He said that the offence contravened Section 390(9) of the Criminal Laws of Oyo State, 2000.

The Magistrate, Mrs Munirat Giwa-Babalola, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties in like sum.

She adjourned the case until July 20 for a substantive hearing.

The Sokoto State Police Command said its personnel rejected a bribe of N800,000 and arrested no fewer than three suspects with twelve rolls of copper wires suspected to be stolen from an electric pole.

This is contained in a statement issued in Sokoto on Thursday by DSP Sanusi Abubakar, the command’s spokesperson.

He said that policemen on patrol along Birnin Kebbi road in the state intercepted a Volkswagen Sharan vehicle with Reg. No. KSF 356 Lagos, loaded with wires.

“The suspects, Rufa’i Sani, Yusha’u Abubakar and Ahmadu Bello, attempted to bribe the police with the sum of N800,000 to allow passage.

“However, our policemen collected the money as exhibits and brought the suspects with their vehicle to the State Criminal and Investigation Department for discreet investigation,” he said.

The spokesman also said on May 13, a team of detectives of the command attached to Bodinga Police Station in the state on visibility policing arrested four suspects with copper wires.

“Upon investigation, the suspects confessed to having criminally conspired with one Habibu Nimadi and vandalised a transformer.

“However, police investigation revealed that the transformer is located at Kauran Mido Area in Bodinga Local Government,” he added.

Abubakar further extended the commendation of the Commissioner of Police, Mr Ali Kaigama, to the person who exhibited a high sense of professionalism by rejecting bribes.

He said the security agencies in the state sound a serious warning to unpatriotic citizens destroying government infrastructure to desist from the act or face the consequences.

Abubakar said: ”The command also warns against any attempt to perpetrate any unwanted acts before, during and after the forthcoming inauguration.

“The police, in conjunction with all security agencies, will collaborate effectively to decisively deal with anyone that attempts to lay an attack on innocent civilians under the guise of whatsoever reason.

“The command is equally assuring members of the public that it will sustain its tempo in vigorous patrol and raiding of criminal hideouts until the good people of the state sleep with their two eyes closed.”

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, President-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress, APC, have kicked against the request of the former Vice President, Abubakar Atiku for the live telecast of his petition challenging the declaration of Tinubu as the winner of the 2023 presidential election.

In their separate objections on Thursday, the trio insisted that the solemn nature of the court would be put in jeopardy if granted.

Tinubu, in his vehement objections raised by Chief Wole Olanipekun SAN on his behalf, said that Atiku’s request was not only surprising but dangerous as it was capable of prejudicing the court itself.

Olanipekun told the five Justices that Atiku should not be allowed to turn the court into a football stadium, a crusade ground, a theatre or film grounds where all manners of telecast could be permitted.

The senior lawyer said that the court should not grant an order that cannot be enforced or supervised, adding that the present moment is not the best time for such a request to be granted.

Olanipekun warned that the request, if granted, could expose judicial officers to avoidable dangers and demanded that high costs be imposed on Atiku for making the request.

Lateef Fagbemi SAN, who opposed on behalf of APC, added that the facility and policy documents are not there for the application to be granted.

He said that Atiku failed to disclose injuries he would suffer if the request was not granted, adding that at the moment, nobody, including Atiku, had complained of inadequate coverage of the proceedings so far.

Fagbemi insisted that Atiku did not deserve to be granted the request.

The electoral body, in its own objections by its counsel, Abubakar Balarabe Mahmoud SAN, said that the courtroom is for serious business and not a marketplace where anything goes, adding that the request for live coverage is unnecessary and uncalled for and should not be granted.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the court, Justice Haruna Simon Tsammani, has reserved ruling on whether to grant the request or not.

Atiku had approached the court hearing his case against the outcome of the February 25 presidential polls for an order allowing live broadcast of the day-to-day proceedings regarding his petition because of its monumental importance.

Atiku and the PDP, in the application, specifically prayed the tribunal for “An order Directing the Court’s Registry and the parties on modalities for admission of Media Practitioners and their Equipment into the courtroom.”

The application filed on their behalf by their team of lawyers led by Chief Chris Uche, SAN, is predicated, amongst other grounds that “The matter before the Honourable Court is a dispute over the outcome of the Presidential Election held on 25th February 2023, a matter of national concern and public interest, involving citizens and voters in the 36 States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, who voted and participated in the said election; and the International Community as regards the workings of Nigeria’s Electoral Process”.

They contended that being a unique electoral dispute with a peculiar constitutional dimension, it is a matter of public interest whereof millions of Nigerian citizens and voters are stakeholders with a constitutional right to receive.

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has scheduled a firm hearing for today, Friday, in a new lawsuit that seeks to block Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s inauguration as president on May 29.

The court mandated that the lawsuit CA/ABJ/CV/259/2023, which seeks to stop Tinubu from being sworn in as Nigeria’s next president and taking office on May 29, must be heard conclusively by today at 3 p.m.

The Appellate Court heard a joinder motion from Tinubu on May 18 to clear the way for the lawsuit’s hearing, and after hearing arguments from Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, the court issued a swift ruling granting Tinubu’s request and adding him as a third respondent alongside President Muhammadu Buhari and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

The court then directed that Buhari, AGF, INEC, and Tinubu as the first through fourth respondents to file their Respondents’ Briefs and serve the Appellants by 10 am this morning. Tinubu was immediately added to the lawsuit on the grounds that he had interests that may be harmed.

The Appeal Court also mandated that the Appellants submit their Reply Brief by noon today and serve the Respondents, and it set the hearing time for the case for 3 pm today.

Maidawaarewa was informed of the hearing by the first appellant in the case, Chief Ambrose Albert Owuru, after spotting the notice on the Court of Appeal’s notice board.

Chief Ambrose Albert Owuru, a constitutional lawyer running for president in the 2019 election, and his political party, the Hope Democratic Party (HDP), filed the lawsuit.

Owuru, a 1982 graduate of the Nigerian Bar, has petitioned the Court of Appeal in Abuja to stop President Muhammadu Buhari, the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from swearing in the 2023 President-elect on May 29.

The politician, who ran for office in 2019 under the banner of the Hope Democratic Party (HDP), wants Buhari, AGF, and INEC to be restrained from taking any further action regarding the 2023 presidential election, which Tinubu won.

In opposition to the inauguration of Tinubu or anybody else as Buhari’s successor, Owuru, who said that he had been declared the constitutional victor of the 2019 presidential election, complained that Buhari had not used up his four years in office as required by law.

Owuru asserted, among other things, that since the Supreme Court has not decided his suit from 2019, in which he contested the claimed announcement of Buhari as the election winner, that Buhari has been usurping his tenure of office.

On January 30, 2023, Justice Inyang Edem Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed his initial lawsuit, which prompted him to appeal to the Court of Appeal to express his resentment.