RismadarVoice Reporters, May 26, 2026
The National Orientation Agency has warned residents of Jigawa State against activities contributing to recurring flooding across communities in the state.
The warning follows recent forecasts by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency and the Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency indicating that heavy rainfall could trigger flooding in more than 14,000 communities across 33 states, including Jigawa, during the 2026 rainy season.
Jigawa is among the states frequently affected by annual flooding, resulting in destruction of farmlands, houses, infrastructure and, in some cases, loss of lives.
Speaking during an interactive session with journalists in Dutse, the state capital, the NOA Director in the state, Ahmad Ibrahim, said the agency had intensified sensitisation campaigns on flood mitigation and emergency preparedness.
According to him, the campaign also covers continuous voter registration and the misuse of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food.
“The campaign covers flood mitigation and emergency preparedness, continuous voter registration, and discouraging the misuse of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food,” Ibrahim stated.
He explained that the agency’s mandate includes educating the public on government programmes and policies, stressing that the current campaign became necessary because of the looming flood threats highlighted in the 2026 Annual Flood Outlook.
“Flooding is a recurring natural disaster aggravated by climate change and often worsened by human activities such as waste disposal in waterways, poor infrastructure maintenance and illegal construction on floodplains,” he said.
Ibrahim identified indiscriminate dumping of refuse in drainage systems, construction on waterways and excessive deforestation as major factors worsening flooding in the state.
He noted that these activities continue to contribute significantly to the destruction of lives and property across affected communities.
The NOA director said the agency would continue collaborating with relevant authorities to ensure the timely dissemination of flood-related information and warnings.
“In the coming days, we will deploy our Community Orientation and Mobilisation Officers in the 27 local government areas to sensitise communities, especially those in flood-prone areas,” he added.
He urged residents to take weather advisories issued by NiMet seriously, describing them as highly reliable.
“We encourage citizens to strengthen environmental sanitation, ensure drainages are cleared of waste, and embrace tree planting to minimise the risk of flooding,” Ibrahim said.
On voter registration, the NOA director disclosed that the Independent National Electoral Commission resumed the third phase of the Continuous Voter Registration exercise on May 11, 2026, and that it would continue until July 10, 2026.
According to him, the exercise is ongoing at INEC offices and designated centres across the state for eligible Nigerians who recently turned 18, those who missed previous registration exercises, and voters seeking transfers or corrections on their Permanent Voter Cards.
“NOA urges all eligible citizens to take advantage of this window to register and obtain their PVCs, as your voice starts with registration,” he stated.
Ibrahim also expressed concern over the misuse and illegal sale of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food meant for severely malnourished children.
He said the agency, in collaboration with UNICEF, had intensified campaigns against the practice.
The NOA director commended the wife of the Jigawa State Governor, Hadiza Namadi, for supporting the campaign.
“Health experts have made it clear that RUTF is a specialised treatment for severely malnourished children, provided free by government and development partners, and not a commercial product,” he said.
He warned that despite ongoing efforts, the product was still being sold in markets and consumed by adults, thereby denying vulnerable children access to essential treatment.
“We appeal to the media to sustain advocacy on this issue so that we can secure the future of our children,” he added.
