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Failure to heed to early warnings, cause of massive flood damage- NEMA DG
To Commemorate this year’s International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDRR), which is celebrated every 13th October since 1989, in line with the resolution of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Mustapha Habib Ahmed, the Director General, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), has called on all tiers of government, private individuals, business organisations and development partners to embrace, support and take practical actions in promoting multi-hazard early warning systems in Nigeria.
Habib elaborated on the stakeholders Consultative Forum, which was held by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, on Monday, to review the Flood Disaster Outlook and the Humanitarian dashboard to identify gaps and review strategies for life saving delivery.
“On our part, as a government agency responsible for the generation and dissemination of early warnings, we will continue to review the progress and trends in strengthening the effectiveness of early warning and early action, review contributions from different approaches as well as the application of the lessons learner through the lenses of the anticipatory actions”. He said.
The DG further lamented the lack of prompt response towards early warning released by the Agency to Nigerians and pleaded that people should heed to early warnings whenever they are alerted by the agency.
He also disclosed the support from President Buhari and hitches along Lokoja.
“The President has graciously approved 12,000 metric tonnes of grains, which is equivalent to 400 trailers and they have been spread across the 36 states.
“We are still working on providing relief materials, food items and none food items to each state of the Federation.
” Despite having hitches along Lokoja, I have alerted the DSS and Inspector General of Police, to help us in clearing the way so relief items can be reached to all relevant states.
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouk,on her part, compared the devastation caused by this year’s flood to that of 2012.
” As a matter of fact, the scale of devastation caused by flood this year can only be compared to the 2012 flood.
” More than 500 lives have been lost, more than 1.4 million persons affected, about 90,000 homes either partially or completely destroyed and still counting. Thousands of hectares of farmlands have been destroyed, thus worsening fears of a disruption of food supply in Africa’s most populous country
“As we reflect on the present flood situation in Nigeria, let’s consider the focus of the 2022 IDDRR.
“Did we not have enough warnings or was our predictions on Flood Outlook wrong? Did we not act enough to prevent or mitigate what we’re are confronted
with today?” she lamented.
The Minister who was represented by Alhaji Ali Grema, said there was a need not to apportion blames but acknowledge the fact that enough warnings were given and therefore she admonished all communities to take climate predictions and flood outlook warnings seriously as flood can’t be completely eliminated but people can be kept safe when there is a collective responsibility .
Director General, FCT Emergency Management Agency, (FEMA), Abbas Idris, said no one is to be blamed but early warning is an issue of education and enlightenment.
“Nigeria is just coming up to join the league of nations whereby early warning really works well. The issue we are having in Nigeria is that when you are giving early warning to the residents or to the populace, they seem to know much more than you, because we believe in some cultural and religious aspects that doesn’t allow us to take early warning. As I always say, early warning comes from learned people and learning is from God, knowledge is from God. So therefore we should adhere strictly and imbibe the culture of accepting the Early warning.
‘If for instance you are going this way and we told you there is an accident that blocked the way, you will try to deviate from going there. So why is it that when the learned people say it’s going to rain and it is going to cause flooding and they need you to evacuate, you will now say you will not evacuate? So you can see there is contradiction in our beliefs and cultures, and unless we change this we cannot get it right”, he said.
He also said that the agency has been authorized to remove illegal structures obstructing free flow of water.
“Like I told you, we have the political will to remove structures that are obstructing free flow of water. If you know any, no matter how big the estate is let us know, help us and share information with us and we will definitely go and remove it.
“We are educating the public and we are also doing the needful. If we remove your structure we can also charge you for that and then prosecute you. So the law is there and we are not afraid to enforce the law for the safety of lives and the properties of the FCT Residents.
The Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi has been summoned to the Nigerian Po,ice Force headquarters to face criminal investigation.
In a letter dated 4th April and signed by Commissioner of Police in Charge of Operations, Olajide Rufus Ibitoye, said he was directed by the Inspector General of Police to invite the Emir for questioning for violating Durbar ban.
A copy of the letter sighted by CAPITAL POST indicated that Sanusi led a Durbar processing to the Government House to pay homage despite the ban which the Police expressed security concerns.
The urged Emir Sanusi Lamido to appear on Tuesday,b8th April, 2025.
Sanusi reportedly led a procession in car as against the usual horses in which a 20-year old in the entourage was arrested and detained.
Senate President, Godswill Obot Akpabio has accused Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and Elisha Abbo of being united I coordinated attacks against him lately.
He stated this following Natasha’s claims during a rally in her Kogi Central Senatorial District that he recruited the former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello to assassinate her outside Abuja.
At the rally on Tuesday 1st April, 2025 which was monitored by CAPITAL POST in Lokoja, Natasha accused the former Governor Yahaya Bello, having been contacted late in the night of March 12, 2025 to orchestrated ‘recall and assassination’ of her outside Abuja.
Natasha said she has intelligence reports that when she is killed in her Constituency, “it will look as if it’s her people that killed her.”
Though Bello was yet to issue a statement debunking the allgations or otherwise, Senate President on his part denied the allegation and described it as falsehood and inflammatory.
Reacting in a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publici, Hon. Eseme Eyiboh on Friday, Akpabio accused former Senator representing Adamawa North Senatorial, Elisha Abbo of toeing the similar part of blackmail, saying barely 24 hours later, on April 2, 2025, Elisha Abbo appeared on Arise Television to revive a previously withdrawn claim that Senator Akpabio “manipulated the judiciary” to secure his removal from the Senate.
The statement said: “Nigerians will recall that Mr. Abbo, in 2023, publicly retracted this same accusation and tendered an apology after acknowledging that his claims were founded on incorrect assumptions.
“His removal from office was the outcome of a constitutionally grounded judicial decision by the Court of Appeal, which independently determined that he was not duly elected to represent Adamawa North.
“In a further twist, Mr. Abbo also alleged that he was denied his entitlements by the Senate President. This, too, is categorically false. Entitlements such as salaries and allowances are processed strictly through administrative and legal procedures.
“The Senate President does not and cannot unilaterally approve or deny such requests. Any delays or rejections would have been based solely on due diligence and compliance with established protocols.
“The timing, tone, and striking similarity of these coordinated attacks point clearly to a politically motivated smear campaign. These individuals—backed by undisclosed interests—appear united in a desperate effort to undermine the credibility of the Senate and its leadership and intended to distract from their own personal and political shortcomings and failings.
“Senator Godswill Akpabio remains undeterred. As a statesman devoted to national unity, institutional integrity, and the rule of law, he will not be distracted by malicious falsehoods or inflammatory rhetoric.
“Regardless of the necessity for legal redress, formal letters of demand, seeking immediate public retractions, apologies, and compensation for reputational harm, are underway to be served on both Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and Mr Elisha Abbo.
“We call on the Nigerian public in particular and the International Community to reject these baseless and provocative narratives. The Senate, under Senator Akpabio’s leadership, remains focused on its constitutional mandate: to promote legislative excellence, safeguard democratic values, and deliver meaningful progress for the Nigerian people”, the statement concluded.
Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, has expressed heartfelt sympathy over the demise of Hon. Suleiman Muhammed, the Kogi East Zonal Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In a condolence message to the family of the deceased and members of the APC in Kogi state, described the sudden passing of the APC Zonal chairman as a loss not only for the party in Kogi East but the entire APC family in the state.
According to the Governor “The late Hon. Suleiman Muhammed was a man of peace, humility, and one who demonstrated commitment to the service of the state and the APC as a party. He carried the aspirations of his people with dignity; his leadership was widely respected and his contributions deeply valued within and beyond the APC in Kogi East”.
“He was instrumental in strengthening party cohesion and promoting inclusive dialogue. His presence in every party engagement brought stability and thoughtful leadership to our consultations in the zone.”
Governor Ododo further noted that Hon. Suleiman’s calm temperament, sense of fairness, and ability to listen distinguished him as a unifying figure in the party.
The Governor also extends condolences to the family of the deceased, the leadership and members of the APC in the state, the people of Dekina local government area and the entire Kogi East Senatorial District.
He prayed that Almighty Allah (SWT) forgive his shortcomings and grant him Aljanatul Firdaus.
The late APC zonal chairman who served as the APC coordinator in Odu Ward 2 before becoming the zonal chairman of the party in Kogi East died at the age of 45 and has been laid to rest according to Islamic rites.
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