The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has advised residents in high-risk flood plains to evacuate to safer and higher grounds.
The States at high risk according to the agency are; Kebbi, Niger Kwara states that share borders with Benin Republic.
The Director General of NEMA, Mrs. Zubaida Umar has also directed all NEMA offices covering communities along the River Niger to intensify advocacy and mobilization for flood preparedness.
She explained that the awareness campaign was necessary following alerts of rising water levels in the upstream of the river in the Republic of Benin.
The Head of Press Unit of the agency, Manzo Ezekiel in a statement on Friday stated, “The Director General of NEMA, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, has directed all NEMA offices covering communities along the River Niger to intensify advocacy and mobilization for flood preparedness following alerts of rising water levels in the upstream of the river in the Republic of Benin.
“In an urgent directive conveyed to the operations offices, Mrs. Zubaida Umar instructed them to sensitize communities to remain vigilant and advise residents in high-risk flood plains to evacuate to safer, higher grounds, especially those in Kebbi, Niger and Kwara states that share borders with Benin Republic’.
She urged the state governments of the identified high-risk areas to support their Emergency Management Agencies (SEMAs) and Local Emergency Management Committees (LEMCs) in activating contingency plans and preparedness measures to mitigate the potential impact of this year’s flooding.
The DG reaffirmed NEMA’s commitment to ensuring coordinated actions to safeguard lives and livelihoods along the River Niger.
Meanwhile, the agency has also confirmed the rescue of 41 persons and four deaths from the recent boat mishap in Goronyo, Sokoto State.
The agency explained that the increase in fatalities followed the recovery of an additional body earlier today.
It noted that funeral prayer was observed in line with Islamic rites, and the body was immediately laid to rest.
As part of the rescue operations, the response team visited four villages: Takuske, Kwakwazu, Bari and Gamiha, where many of the passengers of the ill-fated boat were said to have resided.
“The visits provided an opportunity to verify the number of persons still missing and to commiserate with families who lost their loved ones. During the visits, it was also confirmed that 16 persons had survived the mishap.
“Following these developments, the multi-agency search and rescue operation has been officially concluded. The operation was jointly conducted by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Sokoto State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Goronyo Local Government Authority, and community divers.
“The Director General of NEMA, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, has commended the rescue team for their diligence and the collective efforts of all stakeholders towards the success of the operation”.
