IBBUL Don Warns of Consequences of Neglecting River Protection

A professor of Geography at Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai (IBBUL), Professor Sheikh Danjuma Abubakar, has emphasized the urgent need to protect rivers through sustainable management and recognition of their rights. He warned that continued neglect could have dire consequences for human survival.

Professor Abubakar advocated for a paradigm shift from exploitation to stewardship, urging Nigeria to adopt the Universal Declaration of the Rights of Rivers into law.

He stressed the importance of Community Coalitions (CCs) that bring together governments, local communities, and river users to ensure sustainable management.

The professor highlighted that unsustainable practices such as indiscriminate damming and poor management often trigger destructive floods, citing examples in Sokoto, Lokoja, Maiduguri, and Mokwa.

The Vice-Chancellor of IBBUL, Professor Mohammed Hadi Sulaiman, warned that Nigeria must urgently adopt smarter and sustainable river management practices to tackle the devastating effects of climate change and flooding. He stressed that research in geography and other specialized fields must move beyond theory to provide practical solutions for society.