The flood, which began in early October, forced farmers to prematurely harvest crops in an effort to salvage what they could, rather than face total losses. The water level is now gradually subsiding.
November 27, 2024. 10:52am
Edited by Elfredah Kevin-Alerechi and Kevin Woke.
Arukwo is one of the communities in the Abua/Odual Local Government Area (LGA) of Rivers State, located 65 kilometres away from Port Harcourt, the state capital. Residents of Arukwo, a small village in Nigeria’s Rivers State, have been devastated by flooding that has overtaken their farmlands and disrupted their livelihoods.
The farming community, known for its locally owned rubber tree plantations, is still struggling to recover from the flood that began in October, which is now gradually subsiding.
Government documents and records obtained by The Colonist Report Africa reveal that the Federal Government established the “National Humanitarian Development Peace Framework for 2021–2025” to provide humanitarian support, enhance disaster preparedness, and promote peacebuilding in Nigeria. The framework addresses challenges such as flooding and the well-being of vulnerable communities. Key actions outlined include early warning systems, timely evacuations, and structural measures to mitigate the impact of disasters
According to the framework, the government aims to safeguard lives, property, and infrastructure by building resilience in vulnerable areas through early risk assessments, community-focused emergency alerts, and effective coordination among stakeholders. The strategy also prioritizes the most vulnerable groups by providing lifesaving interventions such as access to water, food, shelter, non-food items (NFIs), health services, education, psychosocial support, and protection measures to improve physical and mental well-being.
However, findings by The Colonist Report reveal that the residents of Arukwo in Abua/Odual Local Government Area have received little or no government support to mitigate the impact of the flooding, which continues to affect their livelihoods.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the government agency responsible for monitoring flooding, has alerted Nigerians about the worsening situation. As of November 24, the agency’s 2024 flood alert dashboard reported that flooding has affected 11,682 people in Rivers State and displaced 287 individuals across 1,005 households.
When The Colonist Report Africa attempted to use satellite imagery to gather visual data of the submerged areas in the village after leaving the community, the acquired images were obscured by cloud cover. This suggests that the clouds obstructed ground visibility. Since many satellites capture images in the visible light spectrum (similar to human vision), clouds can obscure ground details, making it difficult or impossible to observe what lies beneath.
This isn’t the first time the community has faced flooding. Since 2012, residents have endured periodic floods, with 2022 being the worst year, according to several residents who spoke with The Colonist Report Africa.
Queen Godspower, a pregnant farmer, was seen heading to her farm and told The Colonist Report Africa, “I’ve been waiting for a boat, but everyone is using theirs to get to their farms.” Despite her pregnancy, she often has to swim to her crops as the flood threatens to destroy them. “Swimming to the farm is very tiring, especially in this condition. My cassava isn’t even ready to harvest, but I have no choice,” she added.
As of October 20 2024, when The Colonist Report Africa visited the village, many areas of the community including farmlands have been submerged by flood and the flood was gradually taking over community roads.
Three days after we visited the community, we received a call from our source that the flood has covered everywhere, boats are the only option to access other parts of the community.
In 2023, Emughedi Arthur planted 250 palm trees. It was a good time to do it because there was no flooding. He was still recovering from the shock of the 2022 flood, which wiped out all his crops and left him with nothing.
In June 2024, he kept going, planting 33 more trees. But then, things took a sad turn. Arthur told The Colonist Report Africa in a sorrowful voice that the flood in October 2024 came and washed away all two hundred and eighty-three pups trees, along with his plantain and cocoa crops.The situation left him utterly disheartened.
I bought each pup palm tree for N4500,” Arthur told The Colonist Report Africa, while pointing to his several cocoyam, pumpkin leaves, cocoa, and cassava crops that had already been taken over by flood.
He continued in a sorrowful voice: “Once water covers these young nursing palm trees, it stops their growth and kills the trees. After investing thousands and millions of naira, I end up losing everything.
Elizabeth Emughedi, another farmer, also prematurely harvested her cassava crops. She said she had to harvest the crops to avoid damage from flooding. She told The Colonist Report Africa that the flood had ruined her crops and she got less cassava than she would have if she had waited.
In the past, the fishers from Arukwo village would grab their fishing nets and boats and head over to the nearby river to catch some fish and earn a living. However, things have changed now. The recent flood has caused the water level in the river to rise significantly, making fishers too scared to go fishing because of the high and treacherous water conditions.
“The tide is so high, it’s dangerous to fish, and even my house is flooded,” said George Allen, a fisherman who has been frustrated with the entire flooding situation. He fears that with the increase of the flood would take over his home and render him homeless. “I’m looking for a place where my family can stay.”
He’s worried that the rising floodwaters will take over his home, leaving him and his family without a place to live. He’s desperately searching for a place for his family to stay. “I’m looking for a place where my family can stay,” he said.
As a small village, many residents make a living by fishing and farming. They grow crops and catch fish, then sell them at nearby markets. But lately, things have been tough. Floods ruined the crops, forcing farmers to harvest them early, and killed the fish in the river. This has made it really hard for the small traders who depend on selling fish and crops to make a living.
Dokubo, a businesswoman, has been having a hard time getting fish from the fishers. She says the flood has made it tough for her to get to the riverside, where she usually meets with them to buy fish.
“The river is too high; I can’t reach the fishermen now,” she told The Colonist Report Africa.
The Nigerian government’s “National Humanitarian Development Peace Framework for 2021-2025” stated the protection of individuals and the provision of relief supplies to victims of flooding. However, residents in Arukwo’s flood-affected village told The Colonist Report Africa that since the last flood in 2022, they have only received a meager bag of rice as assistance. These bags are not even the standard 50kg size, said Umeoogh Sunday, a community resident.
Sunday used to own his own house before the 2022 flood, but the flood destroyed his house and his 5-hectare cassava and plantain farm. He has since become a tenant.
Arthur, the farmer who claimed to have lost more than 300 hectares of farmlands to flooding since 2022, said the villagers has not received any tangible help from NGOs or the government since the flood started in the year 2024. He went on to say he was lucky to be among the villagers that receive rice in 2023 from the former Minister of Environment, after they were affected by the 2022 flood.
Imaoghaagh Tom, another resident, shared that he did not benefit from the 2023 rice distribution. “The rice was not enough, and some of us didn’t get anything. Since the 2024 flood started, I’ve received no assistance,” he said. Tom recalled that during the 2022 flood—the worst they had experienced—the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) provided his community with a speedboat to help transport students, workers, and residents through the flooded area.
Documents reviewed by The Colonist Report Africa show that seven Local Government Areas (LGAs)—Kumbotso, Warawa, Takai, Karaye, Gwale, Degema, and Ahoada West—were each allocated ₦250 million for earth dam construction to support water supply development. The investment aims to improve water management and agriculture in flood-affected communities, yet Arukwo villagers feel left behind as they continue to endure the aftermath of recurrent flooding.
Despite the high impact of flooding, Abua/Odual is one of the marginalised communities in Nigeria that has seen low government support to reduce the impact of flooding. An analysis of the three-year budget flood management and support between federal and state governments budget allocation shows the community has had little allocation.
The 2021 Nigerian budget directs substantial funds to tackle flooding, erosion, and infrastructure needs in Rivers State. Key projects include ₦50 million for Phase 2 of Buguma’s flood control, ₦100 million for land reclamation in Degema, and ₦200 million for ecological remediation in Ogu Town. Other initiatives cover road and drainage improvements, including ₦100 million for the Ogu-Bolo road and ₦40.99 million for drainage in Ikwerre LGA. Water infrastructure also sees investment, with ₦90 million allocated to complete the Abonema water project, alongside others in Krakrama and Agbonchia, aiming to boost resilience and public health.
The 2022 Appropriation Amendment prioritizes flood, erosion, and drainage projects across Nigeria. Key allocations include ₦45.7 million for channelization in Kaduna South, and a significant ₦200 million for flood control in Edo’s Esan South East LGA. Rivers State communities receive varied allocations, with ₦56.3 million each for Abuloma and Tende Ama, and ₦6.8 million for Abua/Odual erosion control. Additional funds target Bayelsa’s Kpansia at ₦28.2 million and Anambra’s Obosi at ₦73.2 million. National initiatives include ₦75 million for disaster risk management and ₦20 million for early warning systems under the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs.
In its 2022 budget totaling ₦483.17 billion, Rivers State has earmarked funds for critical statewide flood and erosion management projects. Key initiatives include ₦20 million for general flood and erosion management, ₦40.4 million for monitoring flooding across the state’s 23 LGAs, and ₦200 million for canal desiltation. These efforts are part of broader capital allocations targeting infrastructure resilience and environmental safety across the state.
Rivers State’s 2023 budget, totaling ₦555.6 billion, directs significant funding towards flood control and disaster preparedness. Statewide flood mitigation efforts include ₦17.7 million for erosion control, ₦5 million for public awareness campaigns, and ₦3 billion for disaster management training across all LGAs. Key allocations for Abua/Odual LGA include ₦500 million for flood-resistant road construction on the Abua-Degema-Emoh route and ₦66 million for the Agada I-Agada II road. This budget reflects Rivers State’s commitment to addressing environmental challenges in flood-prone regions.
The Rivers State Government also allocated ₦800.39 billion for the 2024 fiscal year, prioritizing flood and erosion control. Key allocations include ₦41.24 million for general flood and erosion control, ₦11 million for constructing waterways, ₦22 million for the Stormwater Canal at GPH Phase 1A in Port Harcourt, and ₦5.6 million for bulk storm water drainage infrastructure. Additionally, the Rivers West Senatorial District receives ₦25.76 billion, with ₦186.39 million earmarked for ABUA/ODUAL and ₦115.33 million dedicated to ABUA. The budget reflects the state’s commitment to infrastructure and environmental resilience amidst increasing flood threats.
Imoghaaph Tom’s home and farmland in the Arukwo community suffer severe flooding everytime the community suffers from flooding. Each time the flood comes, he’s forced to leave his ancestral home of economic trees and plants and gardens, tombs of loved ones, and move into town, waiting for the flood to subside.
His 2-hectare farm, where he grows coconut, plantain, cassava, and peppers, was devastated by the 2022 flood. His cassava crop was particularly affected, leaving the soil unsuitable for replanting.
When The Colonist Report visited the community in early February 2024, the community was dry, but residents continue to live in fear of future floods—an incident that has now fully manifested.
Love Akari, a long-time resident, remembers when flooding was less frequent and less destructive. But now he says, “The floods destroy homes, farmland, and crops, keeping my grandchildren from going to school.” The first major flood he recalls was in 1969, followed by another in 2012. The flooding returned in 2018, and in 2022, it reached a devastating peak.
The impact of the 2022 flood extended to the local health workers. Nurse Adiseph Wilson, a lab technician, told The Colonist Report Africa that the flood brought an influx of patients to the clinic, many suffering from mosquito bites and snake encounters. “During that period, we treated many for mosquito-related illnesses and reptiles bites,” she said.
Farmer Gabriel lost his home and his 6-hectare farm. He and his family now struggle to survive without any support from NGOs or the government. “Life has not been easy for us,” he said.
The flooding continues to disrupt education. Christian Trustful, a student at the local secondary school, failed his exams after the flood forced his school to close. When classes resumed, the school combined two terms of lessons into one, making it impossible for him to keep up.
Kakimun Catherine, a woman with special needs, who relied on her children’s help to sell farm produce at the market. But the 2022 flood wiped out her farm, leaving her struggling to feed her family. “No assistance has come from the government or NGOs,” she said.
For Raymond John, a fisherman and father of eight, life changed after the 2012 flood, when the flood brought crude oil spills into the river and killed fish. “Before, a small pond would give us plenty of fish, but since 2012, it’s become hard to catch anything.” Like others in his community, Raymond has received no compensation.
The people of Arukwo live in constant uncertainty, with few resources and little help to face the yearly floods that continue to reshape their lives.
The Colonist Report Africa reached out to NEMA’s Head of Media, Manzo Ezekiel, to discuss the agency’s support for flood-affected communities in Rivers State. Ezekiel stated that the state has received federal government funds to address flood-related challenges. He further explained that if these resources are insufficient or become overwhelmed, the state should submit a formal request to NEMA for additional assistance.
While working on our report, we came across a statement from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) indicating that it had delivered 11,200 litres of liquid gel fertiliser to the Rivers State Government for distribution to farmers affected by the 2018 flood disaster. According to NEMA, the handover occurred at the Rivers State Emergency Management Warehouse, located at the CEDSI Warehouse off Abuloma Road, on October 31, 2024.
We were unable to get a response from local government authorities in the affected communities. We will update our report if and when they provide comments.
Additional reporting by Elfredah Kevin-Alerechi
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