Taraba lawmaker seeks relief for flood-hit community

A member of the Taraba State House of Assembly, Abel Diah, has appealed for urgent assistance for residents of Warwar community in Sardauna Local Government Area after heavy downpours submerged houses, farmlands, farm produce and domestic animals.

Mr Diah, who represents the Mbamnga State Constituency, urged government agencies, development partners, philanthropists and other well-meaning Nigerians to provide relief materials and humanitarian assistance to families affected by the flooding.

The appeal comes amid renewed warnings over flood risks in Taraba during the 2026 rainy season.

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) launched its 2026 flood preparedness campaign in Taraba in June, warning of flood risks and urging authorities and communities to take early measures to protect lives and livelihoods.

NEMA also advised residents of flood-prone communities to heed early-warning alerts and relocate to safer locations whenever flooding threatens.

The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) subsequently listed Taraba among 15 states facing a high risk of riverine flooding between 19 and 25 September, citing rising river levels and the possibility of flooding in communities located on floodplains.

Mr Diah said the situation in Warwar was particularly concerning because residents largely depend on agriculture for their livelihoods.

He described the destruction of farms and crops as a major setback for affected households, saying many farmers had invested months of labour and resources in cultivating their farms.

According to him, the loss of crops and farmland would create additional difficulties for families whose livelihoods depend on agricultural production.

He, therefore, urged the authorities to go beyond emergency relief by adopting sustainable measures to reduce the vulnerability of Warwar and neighbouring communities to flooding.

Mr Diah said sustained support would be needed to help affected families recover, rebuild their livelihoods and protect their means of survival against future flooding.

Taraba has experienced significant flood impacts in previous years.

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A 2024 assessment by the International Organisation for Migration, in collaboration with NEMA, the Taraba State Emergency Management Agency and the Nigerian Red Cross Society, identified 32,319 people in 7,349 households affected by flooding across seven local government areas assessed in the state.

No independent figure was immediately available on the number of households affected or the value of property and agricultural losses from the latest flooding in Warwar.