Flooding events in the Lower Benue valley of Nigeria are often associated with huge damage to properties and loss of life in the adjoining communities. Specific objectives of this study were to (i) examine the characteristics of rainfall and discharge at the major river in the study area—Benue trough of Nigeria; (ii) assess the occurrence of extreme rainfall conditions and other flood-triggering/exacerbating factors; and (iii) determine flood damage extent and available warning system in the area. Specific reference was made to the 2017 flood event in the area. Method used was an integrated environmental approach that combines analysis of rainfall and discharge data with social surveys, remote sensing and geographical information system. Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), Precipitation Concentration Index (PCI) as well as flood damage curves were analysed with land use/cover change and soil data to establish the nature of the flood and its impacts. Result showed that rainfall has increased in the study area in October–December and February (b ≤ 0.13) but has decreased in the other months, albeit insignificantly (R2 < 0.5). Rainfall–runoff relationship at the gauge station was weak (b = 16.67, R2 = 0.21), and indicates the influence of antecedent soil moisture content at the gauge station, while the well-drained nature of the soil, its sedimentary geology and land use/cover analysis would indicate the dominance of infiltration-excess flow. The results of the SPI and PCI, which categorized the study area as largely wet during the study period (13.5% of the years classified as extremely wet and 54.1% wet), as well as high record of consecutive rain days revealed the vulnerability of the area to flood hazards in the wet months. Eighty-five per cent of the vulnerable residents are considerably poor, earning an equivalent of US $4.3 daily, and live in non-reinforced concrete masonry (64%) and wooden buildings (24%). The study recommends extensive flood control policy for the area and similar flood-prone communities.