By Awwal Umar Kontagora Kebbi State Governor, Comrade Dr. Nasir Idris (Kauran Gwandu), has commended the National Emergency Management Agen...
By Awwal Umar Kontagora
Kebbi State Governor, Comrade Dr. Nasir Idris (Kauran Gwandu), has commended the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) for conducting a Simulation Exercise on Flood Disaster Response (SIMEX) in the state.
The exercise, which brought together various stakeholders, aimed to raise awareness and build capacity on effective strategies to mitigate the risks and impact of flooding.
Declaring the event open, Governor Idris—represented by the Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Empowerment, Alhaji Muhammad Hamidu-Jarkuka—described the initiative as timely and highly relevant.
The governor noted that Kebbi was among the states identified by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) as being at high risk of flooding this year.
He praised NEMA and its partners for their proactive efforts and reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to fulfilling its constitutional duty of protecting lives and property.
“Our government will continue to collaborate with relevant stakeholders and agencies to tackle the threat of flooding across the state,” he said, urging residents in flood-prone areas to relocate to safer, higher ground and adhere to NiMet’s guidelines.
In her remarks, the Director-General of NEMA, Hajiya Zubaida Umar—represented by Air Commodore Kenneth Oyong, Director of Search and Rescue at NEMA—explained the rationale behind the on-ground simulation.
“Our presence in Kebbi is to conduct a hands-on simulation exercise,” she said. “Rather than holding theoretical simulations in Abuja, NEMA believes in engaging directly with local communities who are most affected by disasters.”
She said similar exercises had been conducted in Anambra and Kano states and emphasized the importance of grassroots-level training.
Stakeholders involved in the exercise included the Fire Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Nigeria Police, the Red Cross, and other emergency responders.
Also speaking, the Director of NEMA’s North-West Directorate, Alhaji Sani Lokoja-Alhaji, said the simulation was part of efforts to achieve NEMA’s vision of building a disaster-resilient Nigeria.
“Preparedness saves lives, reduces losses, and fosters resilience in communities,” he said. “Flooding, whether caused by heavy rainfall, river overflow, or infrastructure failure, disproportionately affects vulnerable communities across the North-West and the country.”
He noted that the challenges posed by climate variability, environmental degradation, and unregulated human activities along riverbanks had significantly increased the risk of flooding.
“This simulation is more than just a drill—it’s a vital capacity-building initiative to strengthen preparedness, coordination, and response mechanisms at community, local, state, and national levels,” Lokoja-Alhaji added.
He commended the Kebbi State Government, State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), and other partners for their commitment to disaster risk reduction.
“The active participation of first responders, security agencies, health workers, volunteers, community leaders, and the media demonstrates the collaborative approach required for effective disaster management,” he said.
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