Nigerian farmer Enoch Fater has barely slept in the last few days after water levels started rising at his paddy rice farm and in a major river nearby, pointing to impending floods in Benue state, a major food producer in the central belt.

Borno state Governor Babagana Zulum described the extent of the damage as "beyond human imagination". This is the first time that the Nigerian authorities have admitted to the numbers who fled custody.

Nigeria has warned of possible flooding in 11 states following the release of water from a dam in neighboring Cameroon.

Nigeria has warned of potential flooding that could affect 11 states, as Cameroon said it would start releasing water to ease pressure on its largest dam. More than 400,000 people in Nigeria are already facing the devastating impacts of a recent flood across western and central Africa.