Early Warning Failure Behind Akwa Ibom Flood Disaster — Officials
The Centre for Human Rights and Accountability Network (CHRAN) has expressed concern and sorrow over the recent flood disaster in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital and other communities in adjoining local government areas including Itam in Itu local government area.
It was on record that the current rains which started last Thursday have wreaked havoc in several parts of the state resulting in loss of lives, destruction of property worth millions of naira and displacement of hundreds of residents battling the harsh socio-economic realities.
Otuekong Franklyn Isong, director of CHRAN, in a statement jointly signed by the secretary, Research and Documentation, Comrade Etimbuk Ekpenyong, described the flooding that started on July 8, 2026, as “a tragic incident that has left many families devastated.
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The rights group expressed concern on the preparedness of relevant government agencies, considering the early warning signal by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) which identified Akwa Ibom State among the 28 states that are mostly hit by flooding as the thick rainy season commences.
The CSO said the level of destruction witnessed in Uyo and its neighbouring communities raised questions on the effectiveness of the existing flood prevention and management measures, emphasising that proactive, not reactive measures should have reduced the present level of destruction to the barest minimum.
The centre also said the federal government had earlier issued flood forecasts and warnings to several states including Akwa Ibom, giving the authorities enough time to undertake preventive measures such as desilting drainage channels, clearing waterways, strengthening emergency response systems and sensitising vulnerable communities.
“What proactive steps were adopted by the state government to lessen the impact of the anticipated floods? It asked. Did the ministries, departments (MDAs) and other relevant agencies not properly mobilized to desilt the clogged drainage infrastructure properly before the rains?”
CHRAN also worried over what it described as the absence of visible executive leadership in the wake of the disaster, noting that Governor Umo Eno had not visited the communities impacted or families of the deceased in person beyond media releases and advocacies, insisting that “the presence of the governor in a crisis situation is a comfort and reassurance to the victims.”
