The Nation Newspaper

Tag: National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA)

  • Unemployed in court over alleged robbery

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), in Borno, on Thursday said 22, 000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), have returned to four local government areas liberated from boko haram in Borno.

    The North East Coordinator of NEMA, Alhaji Muhammad Kanar, who disclosed this in an interview with newsmen, said the areas included Mafa, Dikwa, Konduga and Ngala.

    He said that no fewer than 7, 297 from Konduga, 12,517 from Mafa, and 1,936 from Dikwa had willingly returned to their liberated communities.

    According to him, “report from International Organisation for Migrations, IDPs matrix tracking system indicates that we have about 393, 900 IDPs in 16 liberated LGAs.

    “The councils include Dikwa, Bama Konduga Lassa Damboa, and Damboa sabon-gari, Banki Benishaik, Gamborun ngala, Baga, Nganzai, Gwoza, Izge and Pulka among others.

    “We have about 110, 000 IDPs in 11 camps here in Maiduguri.The camps include Dalori I & II, Bakassi,  EYN, CAN centre, Gubio, MOGOLIS, Madinatu, NYSC and Teachers Village, among others.

    Kanar said the agency was working with other relevant stakeholders to ensure total rehabilitation and resettlement of all IDP’s in the North-east,” said Kanar.

  • Suicide attacks: NEMA urges Borno residents, IDPs, to be more vigilant

    Suicide attacks: NEMA urges Borno residents, IDPs, to be more vigilant

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on Sunday advised Borno residents, especially the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), to be more vigilant, following increased suicide attacks targeted at the displaced persons in Maiduguri.

    Malam Muhammad Kanar, the North East Coordinator of the agency, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri.

    Kanar said that the attacks were a sign of desperation by the Boko Haram insurgents to cause havoc in the IDP camps.

    “It is true that they have been trying all these while to gain access into the city and wreak havoc, but the security agents have been up and doing in preventing them.

    “Those that came in on Saturday were the first two and then today we had another one that was detected early enough by the security agents, ” he said.

    Kanar said that residents must collaborate with the security agents by being more vigilant to prevent future attacks.

    “This is the kind of challenge we sometimes face in carrying out humanitarian service.

    ” But definitely, we have confidence in the military and other security agents, the challenges shall come to pass,” he said.

    NAN recalls that nine persons were killed in a twin suicide attacks in Maiduguri on Saturday while another suspected suicide attack was foiled by the military on Sunday near the scene of that of Saturday.

  • Explosion hits Muna garage in Maiduguri

    Explosion hits Muna garage in Maiduguri

    A garage at Muna in Maiduguri, Borno state has reportedly been hit by early morning explosion on Wednesday, reports have said.

    According to reports from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in a social media post through twitter, confirming the explosion, emergency workers have been deployed to the scene.

     

    Details shortly…

  • NEMA, SEMA to provide relief materials to Osun flood victims

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Osun Emergency Management Agency (OSEMA) are working to provide relief materials to victims of flood disaster in the state.

    Mr Olanipekun Olanrewaju, the General Manager, OSEMA on Thursday in Osogbo, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the agency in collaboration with NEMA is working to bring succour to victims.

    Olanrewaju said that OSEMA, which is saddled with the responsibility of providing relief materials to victims of disaster, had already sent official report to NEMA, through its Zonal Headquarters in Ado-Ekiti.

    He said with the assistance of the state government and NEMA, OSEMA would provide relief materials to victims of the flood disaster soon.

    The general manager, however, said there were procedures to follow for the distribution of relief materials.

    He explained that victims of the flood have to formally request and present their case to the agency with photographs of their property that were damaged during the disaster attached.

    Olanrewaju said without making request and providing photographs evidence of the affected or damaged property, it would be difficult for the agency to determine who to assist or provide with relief materials.

    He reiterated what Gov. Rauf Aregbesola said, that the flood was caused by indiscriminate dumping of refuse in the waterways and water channels by residents.

    According to him, the disaster should have been avoided, if people of the state dispose their wastes properly.

    He said the state government was embarking on dredging and re-channelling of blocked waterways, canals and rivers in the state.

    Olanrewaju said that structures along or on the waterways, obstructing free flow of water would all be demolished soon.

    He said OSEMA had been sensitising the people of the state to the dangers of blocking rivers and waterways with refuse.

    The general manager equally called on residents to change their habit and attitude, urging them to stop dumping refuse into the waterways and drains.

    NAN recalls that five communities were flooded on Sept. 13 in Osogbo, while a middle-aged man was reported to have lost his life in the flood incident, after his vehicle was drowned in a river.

  • Niger places restriction on motorcycles

    Niger places restriction on motorcycles

    Niger State Government has placed a dawn to dusk restriction on commercial and private motorcycles from operating in Minna, the state capital and other major towns in the state.

    The state government, through this development, have reneged on its earlier free movement for commercial and private motorcycles in the state.

    This development is coming exactly a year after the government removed the ban placed on motorcycles by Babangida Aliyu led administration.

    Former Governor Babangida Aliyu had banned motorcycles because of the incessant accidents and deaths caused by their careless driving but when Governor Sani Bello came into office last year, he immediately removed the ban giving the motorcyclists free hand to move at any time of the day.

    In a public announcement signed by the state Commissioner of Information, Jonathan Vatsa yesterday, the state government stated that the order will be strictly enforced between 6 pm and 6 am each day.

    He urged the executive members of the Association of Commercial Motorcycle Riders of Nigeria (ACOMORAN) to take note of the development and caution their members against violation.

    Vatsa stated that any person or group of persons caught contravening  the order will be dealt with stressing that law enforcement agents have been put on the alert to deal with offenders.

    In another development, people living by the river banks are hereby warned to relocate to the uplands in their neighboring communities in view of the impending overflow of River Niger.

    This reminder has become necessary in view of the early warning signal issued by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on the dangers of the overflow of River Niger to the people living in the following communities.

  • Boko Haram: NEMA donates relief materials

    Boko Haram: NEMA donates relief materials

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has presented food and other items to the military for “Operation Safe Corridor Programme’’, according to a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday.

    The statement signed by Mr Sani Datti, the NEMA Media and Public Relations officer, said that the materials were meant to de-radicalize, rehabilitate and re-integrate 800 repentant Boko Haram insurgents.

    The statement quoted the NEMA Director-General, Mr Muhammad Sidi, as saying that the initiative was in line with international best practices allowed those engaged in the fighting to voluntarily surrender and embrace peace.

    He said that NEMA would play its role in the programme by providing regular support of food and non-food items for their upkeep, to enable them to undergo rehabilitation.

    “Items to be released for this purpose every three months include 410 bags of rice, 400 bags of beans, 200 bags of millet, 200 bags of sorghum and 750 cartons of spaghetti.

    “Others are 50 cartons of maggi cubes, 810 cartons tomato paste, 101kegs of vegetable oil, 101 kegs palm oil, 50 bags of salt, 100 bags of sugar, 420 cartons of milk and 420 cartons of milo.

    “The non-food items are 800 pieces of mattress, 500 blankets, 500 pieces of nylon mats, 1,000 plastic buckets,1,000 plastic spoons, 1,000 plastic cups, 1,000 plastics plates, 1,000 plastic pairs of slippers, 2,000 men’s wear, 63 cartons of bathing soap and 1,000 bath towels.’’

    Receiving the items in Gombe, the Coordinator of Operation Safe Corridor, Brig.-Gen. B.M. Shafa said the initiative was designed to de-radicalize, rehabilitate and re-integrate willing and repentant Boko Haram insurgents.

    “The initiative was designed to de-radicalize, rehabilitate and re-integrate willing and repentant Boko Haram insurgents who have come out to surrender to the military.

    “The initiative will quicken the peace process in the North-East.

    Shafa said that a good number of Boko haram insurgents had surrendered between September last year and February this year.

    The statement said that 11 agencies of the Federal Government were directly involved in the Operation Safe Corridor programme.

  • 14 die in fire, flood disasters

    14 die in fire, flood disasters

    No fewer than 14 people were reportedly dead and domestic Animal  had been lost in fire out breaks and flood disaster ravage some parts of Jigawa state.

    Speaking to news men in Dutse the executive secretary of the Jigawa State Emergency Relief Agency, Alhaji Yusif Sani Babura said “from last quarter of the 2015 to dates 14 people died in different fire out breaks and flood disaster in the state, while domestic animal and foods items worth millions of Naira where also lost”.

    Alhaji Yusif Sani Babura explained that “10 people died in the fire disaster while flood killed four people and many others sustained injuries during the disaster”.

    According to him “those died in fire were more in number, which include some children on one family, while the flood coursed the collapse of buildings which falls on the decease and pass away”.

    The executive secretary said “already Governor Muhammadu Badaru Abubakar approve the release of substantial amount to the relations of the decease and victims of the disasters to relieve the pains”.

    He further disclosed that “just last week we received a reports of flood in about eight local government areas where victims lost domestic animals, food items and farm produce. We sent our staff to visit the area and assess the level damage to reports to the governor for action”.

    Alhaji Babura maintained that the agency reported to National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) “and NEMA respondent immediately and sent its official and also visited the affected areas”.

    The executive secretary expressed concern on the approach and lackadaisical attitude by the local government council, “most of them are not given the needs and necessary response when there is a disaster in their area”.

  • Boko Haram: food scarcity hit liberated communities

    Boko Haram: food scarcity hit liberated communities

    … NEMA donates food to IDPs in Yobe

    Just in time, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) presented 2000 bags of 25kg of rice for displaced people in the state as communities liberated from Boko Haram are now faced with food shortage in the state.

    The Nation findings revealed that returnees to liberated communities are facing serious food shortage as they strive to engage in farming activities which they abandoned in the last five years due to the capture of their communities by Boko Haram.

    The State Deputy Governor Engr. Abubakar Aliyu who is also the Chairman of the State Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Construction Committee noted that the intervention is coming at a time the state is dire need of taking care of the displaced people who are either returning to their communities or staying in the IDP camps.

    Engr. Aliyu also requested for the assistance of the Federal Government to help fast track the resettlement of Boko Haram victims and the speedy reconstruction of the destroyed communities and infrastructures in the state, adding that “it has become imperative for the state to relocate and resettled the displaced people with the return of peace in their communities”.

    He also called on the Federal Government to release the balance of the share of 71 trucks of grains that was allocated to the state from the Federal Government Strategic Grains Reserve which the state received only 34 trucks.

    Making the presentation, the Zonal Coordinator of NEMA, North East, Mohammed Kannar disclosed the commitment of the Federal Government to the upkeep of the displaced people in the state in particular and the North east in general.

    He noted that the Federal Government through NEMA will continue to implement the systematic arrangement of taking care of the IDPs which he noted is enshrined in the National Contingence plan which include the provision of food, food security, rehabilitation, reconstruction, resettlement and integration.

     

  • Flood destroys 50 houses in Kano

    Flood destroys 50 houses in Kano

    No fewer than 50 houses were submerged in Kano following a heavy flood that wreaked havoc within the Kano metropolis as a result of early morning heavy down-pour on Monday.

    The NATION reports that the areas badly touched by the ravaging flood include Hotoro, Badawa and Makarwa, all within the metropolitan Kano.

    As at the time of filing this report, the authorities of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) were yet to come out with an official figure of the victims of the flood who have been rendered homeless.

    However, an official of NEMA told The NATION that hundreds of residents besieged their office on Monday claiming victims of the flood incident.

    He added that NEMA will soon release the official figure of the victims affected by the flood.

    The NATION reports that Kano has remained a major casualty of flood in recent years, a situation  which the state government has continued to manage through support to victims and enlightenment programmes on the dangers of erecting structures on drainage and water-ways.

  • 162 stranded Nigerians in Libya arrive Lagos Airport

    162 stranded Nigerians in Libya arrive Lagos Airport

    •  They volunteered to return home, says International Organisation for Migration
    One hundred and sixty two stranded Nigerians in the North African country, Libya, on Thursday arrived the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
    They were flown home by a chartered Boeing 737 aircraft operated by Ghadames Air, which arrived the Lagos Airport  about 2: 50 pm.
    Their return was facilitated by the assistance of the International Organisation for Migration  and the Swiss government.
    The returnees consists of 132 males, 27 females and three children, who were received on arrival and documented by officials of the Nigerian Immigration Service, the Police, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), and other security agencies.
    According to Sara Hamo, consultant with International Organisation for Migration, in charge of assisted voluntary return and re- integration in Lagos, the returnees are stranded Nigerian migrants who opted to return home with assistance from the Swiss government.
    The IOM, she said after careful documentation and profiling  on arrival in Lagos will facilitate their re- integration with their families in collaboration with the respective state emergency management agencies.
    The OIM, she said, will make available some stipend to enable  them resettle.
    Also, speaking in an interview, Juma Ben Hassan, an operations assistant with OIM in Libya, said the return of the Nigerians was made possible with request from the Nigerian embassy in Tripoli.
    He said the Nigerian embassy in Tripoli had in the past requested the assistance of OIM to bring home stranded Nigerian migrants in Libya.
    Thursday’s  returnees, he said, will be the second this year after about 180 were returned in March.
    He said in the next two months, another batch numbering about 180 will arrive Nigeria.
    Among the returnees were some with reduced mobility, as well as a fire accident victim, brought of the aircraft into a waiting ambulance in a stretcher .
    Also speaking, the director in charge of relief  and rehabilitation, NEMA, Aliyu Baffale Sambo  said the returnees will be taken to rehabilitation camp, before they are given transport to return home.
    The returnees declined to speak to reporters.