Abuja— A climate change consultant and environmental analyst, Air Vice Marshal (Rtd) Akugbe Iyamu, has raised fresh concerns over the rising impact of floods and other environmental disasters, warning that they are fueling displacement, irregular migration and modern slavery in Nigeria.
Floods Driving Displacement
According to official records, floods in 2025 have already claimed over 300 lives and displaced tens of thousands across 17 states including Niger, Adamawa, Yobe, Anambra, Kebbi and Kogi.
These figures mirror the 2022 devastation when more than 600 Nigerians lost their lives and 1.4 million others were displaced.
Iyamu explained that for farmers, traders and school children, “floods mean more than statistics,” as harvests are destroyed, shops washed away and classrooms converted into makeshift camps.
These conditions, he noted, push many into forced migration and in some cases modern slavery.
Modern Slavery Theory
The Global Security Index estimated that in 2021, about 1.6 million Nigerians were living under conditions of modern slavery across different camps for internally displaced people, IDPs, translating to nearly eight out of every 1,000 people in the country.
Victims, Iyamu said, often end up in “exploitative domestic, industrial or commercial labour, and in some cases forced marriages or sexual exploitation.”
He added that Africa remains the continent with the highest prevalence of displacement and modern slavery globally, worsened by poverty, economic crises and environmental disasters.
Call for Proactive Action
The retired Air Vice Marshal stressed that while Nigeria has made progress in flood outlooks and humanitarian responses, more proactive, coordinated and evidence-based disaster management strategies are urgently needed.
He urged state governments, private sector players and communities to collaborate in tackling the challenges of climate change and displacement.
Warning Against Irregular Migration
Iyamu also appealed to young Nigerians to shun irregular migration through dangerous routes such as the Sahara Desert and Mediterranean Sea, which he said often end in tragedy and further damage to the country’s international image.
The Way Forward
He concluded that without strong political will and collective action, Nigeria will continue to face the harsh realities of displacement, migration and modern slavery.