The Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Zubaida Umar, has directed all field offices covering communities along the River Niger to intensify advocacy and mobilisation for flood preparedness.
The directive follows reports of rising water levels upstream of the river in the Republic of Benin.
In an urgent instruction, Umar ordered NEMA operations to sensitise communities on the need for vigilance and advised residents in high-risk flood plains, particularly in Kebbi, Niger, and Kwara States, to evacuate to safer, higher grounds.
She also urged State Governments in the identified areas to support their Emergency Management Agencies (EMAs) and Local Emergency Management Committees (LEMCs) in activating contingency plans and preparedness measures to reduce the potential impact of this year’s flooding.
The Director General reaffirmed NEMA’s commitment to ensuring coordinated action to safeguard lives and livelihoods in flood-prone communities along the River Niger.