The Nation Newspaper

Tag: National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA)

  • Three Suicide bombers target UNIMAID, four killed

    Three suicide bombers attempted early Saturday morning to enter University of Maiduguri, but they were thwarted by security men.

    Two of the bombers detonated their bombs as they faced interrogation by the security men at the gate, killing one of them and injuring another. The third bomber, who had hidden close to a building near the gate, also detonated her explosive. She was the only casualty.

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) based in Maiduguri, confirmed the death of four persons, including the bombers, in a statement on Saturday by Mal. Abdulkadir Ibrahim, the North East Information officer of the agency.

    “Today at 1:10am, three suicide bombers, two men and a woman attempted to gain access into University of Maiduguri, but were sighted by the university security that stopped them for interrogation.

    “While interrogating them, the two suicide bombers detonated their explosives devices which injured one of the securities and killed another.

    “The third suicide bomber hid close to the vicinity of a building in the university later detonated her explosive which affected the structure of the building with no casualty.

    “The injured has been taken to University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital after administering of first aid while the corpses were deposited at Borno specialist hospital,’’ Ibrahim said.

  • Three kill in another foiled suicide bomb attack in Borno

    Three suspected female suicide bombers were killed while attempting to attack a military outpost near Muna garage at the outskirt of Maiduguri in Borno State, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has said.

    Malam Abdulkadir Ibrahim, NEMA North-East Information Officer, said in a statement issued in Maiduguri that the incident occurred on Wednesday.

    “On Wednesday at 10.05p.m., three suspected female teenage suicide bombers attempted to attack military outpost popularly known as “Gontanamo” along Muna garage.

    “They were sighted trying to gain access to the premises and were shot by the security agents on guard leading to the detonation of their concealed explosives.”

    “All the three of them were killed in the explosion.

    “A security personnel was also injured,” Ibrahim said.

    The Information Officer said that the remains of the bombers had been evacuated by aids workers.
    “The corpses were evacuated to Borno Specialist Hospital by NEMA and officials of the State Emergency Response team,” he said.

    The state Police Command also confirmed the report.
    Malam Murtala Ibrahim, the 2 1/c Police Public Relations Officer, gave the confirmation in a statement issued to newsmen in Maiduguri.

    “On Wednesday, at about 2245hrs, three female suicide bombers with Improvised Explosive Devise (IED) strapped to their bodies attempted to enter Maiduguri town.

    “They were intercepted by security personnel on duty along Maiduguri/Mafa road, close to the gate of 195 battalion location.

    “The three bombers detonated their IEDs, killing themselves only, while one soldier was said to have been injured.

    “Police Anti Bomb Unit personnel have visited the scene and rendered it safe while normalcy has since been restored,” the police spokesman said.

     

  • Borno IDPs’ living condition has improved – NEMA

    Borno IDPs’ living condition has improved – NEMA

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) says the living conditions of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Borno has significantly improved.

    The North-East Coordinator of the agency, Malam Muhammad Kanar, stated this while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri.

    Kanar said this followed collaborative efforts by stakeholders.

    He said unlike before, the IDPs were now living in a better environment due to such efforts.

    “Actually, everything is going on well for the IDPs now, this is because of the collaboration between all stakeholders toward addressing their problems.

    “We have lots of international organisations and donor agencies working with us to ensure their well being,” he said.

    The coordinator said organisations such as the World Food Programme (WFP) had been providing food in some of the IDPs camps.

    “WFP is taking care of IDPs in Dikwa, Bama, Banki, Gwoza and in many other satellite camps.

    “It is also in charge of Dalori, one of the largest camps in Maiduguri,” he said.

    He said that the Borno State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) was catering for the remaining camps in collaboration with NEMA.

    “The Borno State Government is collaborating with NEMA to take care of the rest of the camps across the state providing the daily needs of the Displaced Persons,’ he said.

    Kanar, however, said that there were some occasional complaints in the camps.

    “You still get some complaints and that is what you call gaps; whenever we mentioned gap we mean something is lacking.

    “This happens in case of items that expire easily like NFI, we cannot distribute the ones in our stores because they have expired,” he said.

    Kanar assured that NEMA was working with SEMA to address the problem.

    He said apart from addressing problems at IDPs camps, the Borno Government and the Federal Government were working toward rehabilitating communities ravaged by the Boko Haram insurgency.

    “The Borno Government has gone far in its rehabilitation and resettlement programme.

    “So many structures destroyed by the insurgents had been rebuilt, while some affected people are being rehabilitated,” he said.

    He said that the Emergency Coordination Center of the Federal Government had also swung into action.

    “The Emergency Coordination Center which is headed by the Minister of National Planning has mapped out plans for a multi-sectoral approach to rebuilding the North-East.

    “Very soon we will begin to see the results everywhere,” the coordinator said

  • We’ll not close Borno IDP camps by May 29 – NEMA

    We’ll not close Borno IDP camps by May 29 – NEMA

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said that the planned closure of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps in Borno by May 29 was no longer feasible.

    Mr Muhammad Kanar, the NEMA North East Coordinator stated on this Sunday while speaking with newsmen in Maiduguri.

    Kanar said that IDPs whose communities had been liberated were, however, free to return home voluntarily.

    “Actually, Gov. Kashim Shettima arrived at the May 29 date for closure of all IDP camps based on his conviction that things will go on as they started from last year.

    “It was Shettima’s hope and the hope of every disaster management expert for the camps to close early so people can return to their normal life,” he said.

    Kanar said that the governor was motivated by the gallant efforts of the military in liberating many communities in a short period.

    “Stakeholders were amazed by the speed our gallant soldiers achieved a lot within a few weeks in the fight against insurgency.

    “They were able to recapture all the 22 Local Government Areas from the Boko Haram and liberated so many communities within and outside the areas.

    “These gave hope and focus that by May 29 government will be able to return IDPs back home.”

    He said that recent developments had almost made it impossible for the hope to be achieved.

    “But now it seems that closing the camps is not possible by the set date. We have to re-plan again.

    “By May 29, any IDP wishing to go back to his place can go, so long as the place is safe enough,” he said.

    Kanar said that the hope of returning all IDPs back home was not totally lost.

    “Up till today the hope is still there, if we can get the place safe, secured those willing to go back can still return.

    “Right now we have satellite camps in all liberated LGAs, where IDPs living in Maiduguri can stay pending when they can move to their communities.

    “If you do not want to stay in Maiduguri, you can go there. Many houses have been rehabilitated and normalcy restored in many LGA headquarters,” he said.

     

  • NEMA takes proactive steps to check flooding in South-East communities

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has taken pro-active steps to check flooding, which has been aggravating the menace of erosion in communities in the South-East geopolitical zone.

    News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the zone has been experiencing heavy and regular rainfall in the past one month, as predicted by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet).

    The Zonal Co-ordinator of NEMA, Mr Martins Udeinya, told NAN in Enugu on Thursday that the pro-active steps were necessary to mitigate the devastating effects of flooding in the area.

    Udeinya said that the agency had officially written to flood-prone communities in the zone to alert them of the potential dangers and sensitise them to the need to clear their waterways and drainage systems.

    He noted that the agency was currently working with state governments in the zone to clear the silt and dirt blocking the drainage systems of major cities and towns.

    “Apart from the letters, NEMA, in conjunction with the leadership of the communities, planned to meet the people personally, so as to relay the implications of flooding to them.

    “We will be working, in collaboration with other related and relevant agencies, to get the message down to the people.

    “NEMA and its partners would be conveying the message to the people in the zone through open forums, distribution of flyers and other means of communication, which were tailored to reach the rural people.

    “We will visit at least three communities, which had recorded severe cases of flooding, in each state in the zone,’’ he said.

    The NEMA boss said that the agency would organise flood sensitisation campaigns in riverine communities along the River Niger, River Omambala and in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area in Enugu State.

    NAN recalls that NiMet had predicted early onset of rainfall as well as early cessation of rainfall in many neighbourhoods across Nigeria in its 2017 Seasonal Rainfall Prediction (SRP).

  • Fresh batch of 253 Nigerians return from Libya

    No fewer than 253 more Nigerians voluntarily returned from Libya on Tuesday aboard a chartered Airbus A330-200 with registration mark 5A-LAT operated by Libya Airlines

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the aircraft landed about 6.45pm at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

    The returnees were made up of of 102 males, 140 females, six children and five infants.

    They were brought back by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the Nigerian embassy in Libya.

    The returnees were received at the Hajj Camp area of the airport by officers of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) , the National Agency for the Protection of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and the Police.

    Also on ground to receive them were officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).

    Addressing newsmen, Dr Onimode Bandele, Director, Search and Rescue, NEMA, said two of the returnees had medical issues.

    According to him, one of them was suffering from depression, while the other had severe burns requiring surgical operation.

    He said :”Let’s thank God that these ones have returned safely because Libya is not what it used to be.

    “As a government, our advice is that young Nigerians should strive to work hard and tap into vast opportunities available in the country instead of seeking greener pastures elsewhere. ”

    Bandele said some state governments had initiated various programmes to rehabilitate and reintegrate the returnees back into the society.

    He said NEMA would continue to work with IOM to bring back Nigerians willing to return, adding that the programme was continuous.

    Speaking to newsmen, the returnee who suffered the severe burns on her face said she arrived Libya in February after making a payment of N300, 000 to her traffickers.

    She told newsmen that she suffered the injury while working for her “madam” who only went to dump her at the hospital where she was abandoned.

    The returnee, therefore, appealed to the government for assistance to carry out a reconstructive surgery on her face.

    NAN reports that a total of 236 Nigerians had in March voluntarily returned from the North African country where they had been stranded enroute Europe.

  • Katsina spends N58m on IDPs, disaster victims – SEMA boss

    The Katsina State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), has spent N58 million on provision of relief materials to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), and other disaster victims in the last two years.

    Dr Aminu Waziri, the executive director of the agency, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Daura on Thursday.

    He said the amount was spent in the last two years and out of which N30m was spent to purchase relief materials that included foodstuff, mattresses, clothing, sanitary materials and drugs.

    Waziri told NAN that within the period, N21.8m was expended on rehabilitation of the state-owned IDPs camp located in Katsina metropolis, while N6m was spent on fire and flood victims.

    He said there were 4, 275 internally displaced persons in Katsina State spread across eight Local Government Areas of Katsina, Rimi, Batagarawa, Baure, Daura, Chiranchi, Kafir and Ingawa.

    Waziri said the agency would commence training and retraining of staff on handling emergency situations and would also recruit additional staff for effective and efficient performance.

    He said the agency received material support from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), and the Presidential Committee on Flood Relief and Rehabilitation.

    The executive director lauded the efforts of Gov. Bello Masari on prompt action to emergency situations.

    He said: “our governor releases money for our activities and ensures that due processes were adhered to in so doing.

    He warned IDPs against diversion of relief materials given to them, stressing that relief materials should be judiciously utilised and for convenience of the beneficiaries.

     

  • IDPs: Yobe plans effective post-crisis reconstruction

    The Yobe Government on Wednesday said it had mapped out areas of focus for effective post-conflict recovery and reconstruction of persons displaced by the Boko Haram insurgency and their communities.

    Alhaji Musa Jidawa, the Secretary, State Committee on Reconstruction and Rehabilitation, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Damaturu.

    Jidawa said the recovery plan would focus on provision of food and non-food items, water and sanitation, shelter, health, education and protection of IDPs.

    Jidawa, who is also the Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), said the recovery plan was developed at a retreat organised by the state government for stakeholders of humanitarian services in the state.

    “The recovery plan includes restoration of means of livelihood through agriculture by providing facilities and skill acquisition,” he said.

    He said the retreat recommended “identifying the root cause of the crisis and addressing same as part of the recovery plan and establishment of trauma centre to address psycho-social and mental health problems among displaced persons”.

    According to him, stakeholders in humanitarian services operating in the state have advised government to prioritise the recovery projects in accordance with peculiarities of the returnee communities.

    “The stakeholders unanimously recommended extension of the gesture to host communities where IDPs reside, having over-stretched the existing facilities before returning to their communities,” the secretary said.

    Stakeholders that attended the retreat include; Dr Mariam Masha, representative of the Vice President, Alhaji Tujjani Tumsah, Vice Chairman, Presidential Committee on North-East Initiative (PCNI), Alhaji Sani Sidi, Director-General, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and Prof. Sunday Ocheche, Executive Director Victims Support Fund (VSF).

    Others were; United Nations Agencies, National Commission on Refugees Migration and IDPs, Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Gombe, Bauchi and Taraba State Emergency Management Agencies (SEMA) and local and International Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs)

     

  • Police confirm seven dead in Borno multiple attack

    Police confirm seven dead in Borno multiple attack

    The Borno Police Command, on Wednesday confirmed the death of seven persons in a multiple suicide attack in Maiduguri.

    Mr Damian Chukwu, the Commissioner of Police told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the suicide bombers targeted three “unauthorized” Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in Muna area of the city.

    He said that the first attack was at a camp sheltering displaced persons mainly from Gulumba community in Bama Local Government Area of the state.

    “All together seven persons were killed made up of three suspected suicide bombers and four innocent Nigerians.

    “The attack happened around 4.30 am on Wednesday around Muna area of the metropolis.

    “The first attack took place at a place called Gulumba where IDPs mainly from Gulumba community are staying.

    “The suicide bomber sneaked in and detonated his explosive killing himself, a woman and a kid, nine others were also injured.

    “The second attack occurred in a place called Muna Dagalti in the same environment where unauthorized IDPs are staying.

    “The suicide bomber detonated his explosive inside the tent killing himself and one other person, six others were injured.

    “The third attack was at a place called Muna Baya where the suspected suicide bomber met some Muslim faithful performing ablution for early Morning Prayer.

    “He ran to them and detonated his explosive killing himself and one other person, four others were also injured.”

    NAN reports that an official of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), however, said five suspected suicide bombers were involved in the attacks.

    NEMA North East Information Officer Malam Abdulkadir Ibrahim, in a statement in Maiduguri, said five suicide bombers and three innocent people died in the attack.

    “Series of bomb blasts have occurred in three locations around Muna Garage area of Maiduguri metropolis. The incidents occurred at about 4 am.

    “A total of five suicide bombers all male adults were involved in the incidents killing three persons,” he added.

    According to the NEMA spokesman, 20 people with various degree of injuries were administered with first aid by emergency response teams before they were transported to the state specialist hospital.

    He said that the remains of the dead have been deposited in the mortuary.

     

  • Ife crisis: No reprisal attack in North -Kwankwanso

    Ife crisis: No reprisal attack in North -Kwankwanso

    Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso,(APC- Kano Central) on Tuesday  said there would be  no  reprisal attacks   against the Yoruba   living in the North following the crisis in Ile-Ife on March 8.

    Kwankwaso said this in Sabo area of Ile-Ife after meeting  with members of  the Hausa community inside a mosque.

    The former Kano State governor, who was in company with Gov. Rauf Aregbesola and  Sen.  Babajide Omoworare (APC-Osun East), told journalists   that he was in Osun  to promote peace and the rule of law.

    According to him, the Kwankwasiya Foundation will offer the victims of the crisis succour as from next week.

    He urged members of the Hausa community to resist the temptation to take laws into their hands and further  breach the peace gradually  returning to the affected area.

    Also speaking,   Gov. Rauf Aregbesola stressed the significance of peaceful co-existence in spite of the activities of the hoodlums which led to the incident.

    He said security agencies had arrested some suspects in connection with the crisis, adding that the perpetrators would face the full wrath of the law.

    Aregbesola further said that the state government would help set up a Peace and Reconciliation Committee with a view to finding a   permanent  solution  to the crisis.

    Receiving Kwankwaso  on behalf of  the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, the Obalufe of Ife kingdom,  Idowu Adediwura,  recalled  that Hausa  had   been living in Ife since 1894 without any fear of molestation.

    He attributed the incident to the activities of miscreants, saying Ife had been generally peaceful.

    The traditional ruler commended the efforts made by Kwankwanso toward  resolving the crisis while appealing to security agents to handle the issue with fairness and objectivity.

    “We are creatures of Almighty God, hence we are all citizens of the world and we abhor bloodletting in all its ramifications, ” he stated.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and its state’s counterpart had distributed some relief materials to the victims of the communal clash.