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Tag: NEMA

  • Flood: Ondo, NEMA distribute relief materials to victims

    Ondo State Government in collaboration with National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has distributed relief materials to persons affected by 2018 flood, windstorm and ocean surge in the state.

    Some of the materials shared are fishing nets, water pumping machine, building materials, sewing machines, grinding machines, foodstuffs, soap and beverages, among others.

    The Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Agboola Ajayi thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for leading a responsive government that showed concern about the plight of the people.

    Ajayi appreciated NEMA for always available to help bring relief to those affected by one disaster or the other.

    According to him, fishing nets are for the people in Ilaje and Ese-Odo because fishing is their major occupation, while sewing machines and grinding machines are for the people in Akure and other local governments.

    NEMA Director, Mustapha Maihaja, commiserated with the government of Ondo State over the 2018 flood, windstorm and ocean surge in Ilaje, which affected over seven local governments in the state.

    Maihaja, represented by Head of Operations in charge of Ondo, Osun and Ekiti, Mr Olusegun Afolayan, said that incidents of disasters in the country were not only devastating, but a clog in the wheel of progress and economic development of communities.

    He said “I want to assure you of NEMA’s willingness to sustain the collaboration with Ondo State Government to explore long-term and more sustainable solutions to both natural and human-induced disasters.

    A beneficiary, Mrs Olamide Oluwaniyi, thanked the state government for the gesture, saying it would bring happiness to their homes.

  • Libya deports another batch of 174 Nigerians

    Another batch of 174 Nigerians stranded in the North African country, Libya were on Thursday night deported. The deportees were received at the cargo wing of the Lagos International Airport by officials of National Emergency Management Agency.

    The Coordinator, of NEMA’s Lagos Territorial Office, Mallam Idris Muhammed noted that with this batch, the total number of stranded Nigerians deported from Libya is now 12,574. In addition, Muhammed said over 4,900 of the deportees have been trained on various skill acquisition and empowerment training by International Organization for Migration, IOM through Special Funding facilitated by the European Union.

    He said most of them have set up various businesses in their choice of occupation. He explained that Thursday’s flight was the 64 flights since the Programme of Assisted Voluntary Returnees initiated by European Union but being implemented by IOM started in April, 2017.

    The deportees were brought back aboard Al Buraq Airline in Boeing 737-800 aircraft with flight number UZ 389-390 and registration number 5A-DMG from Sebha City and arrived Cargo Wing of MMIA, Ikeja, Nigeria about 9:45 p.m.

    The deportees includes 62 adult females, 11 female children and 11 female infants, bringing the total number of females to 84 f while the males comprise 74 male adults, 12 male children and 15 male infants making it a total of 90 males .

    Whilst addressing the deportees on arrival, the Coordinator assured them of Federal Government’s readiness to continue supporting and collaborating with other Development Partners in providing enabling environment for the realization of their potential.

    He empahsised that FG will continue to strengthen her assistance to state and local government authorities in rehabilitating deportees into their communities.

  • 326 Nigerians return from Libya, says NEMA

    At least, 326 stranded Nigerians in Libya have arrived Nigeria, the National Emergency Management Agency ( NEMA ) has said.

    Alhaji Idris Muhammed, Coordinator, Lagos Territorial Office of NEMA, who confirmed the development to newsmen on Friday in Lagos, said the returnees were received in two batches.

    Muhammed said the Nigerians arrived the Cargo Wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos via two different flights.

    He said the first flight arrived Nigeria with 143 returnees aboard Al Buraq Air Boeing 737-800 aircraft, with registration number 5A-DMG which landed at 10. 20p.m on Thursday.

    He said the second flight, a Nouvelair aircraft, with registration number TS-INA, arrived with 183 returnees aboard at about 1.20 a.m on Friday.\

    Read Also: NEMA distributes materials to bandit attack victims in Kwara

    Muhammed said the Nigerians were brought back by International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the European Union (EU) under the Assisted Voluntary Returnees (AVR) programme.

    He said officials of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) were on ground to welcome the Nigerian returnees.

    “At the end of profiling, the breakdown of the returnees shows 148 female adults; six female children, 15 female infants, making a total of 169 females.

    “The males are143 male adults, two male children and 12 male infants, making a total of 157 males,” the NEMA coordinator said.
    He enjoined the returnees to join the government in working assiduously toward making Nigeria a prosperous nation.

    Muhammed said: “The country of our dream is unfolding. As you are struggling to travel outside the country, many foreign nationals are struggling to come into Nigeria as well.

    “Movement of people is naturally divine and no one is saying you should not travel but travelling across the desert is not worth it.

    “The Federal government is desirous to make every Nigerian contribute his or her quota in developing the country to the level we want it to be.

    “Let us all stay back and support the government in its efforts at refocusing the country.

    “We all have trust and confidence in this government that it will lead us to the promise land with the present leadership, but youths are the engine room in building a virile and developed nation.

    “Traveling out for greener pastures outside will not enable our needed collective efforts that are very vital at this stage of the country’s progressive history.”

    He advised the returnees to be ready for reintegration process that would follow the arrival stage that had just been completed.

    Mr Daniel Atokolo, Commander, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) Lagos Zone, assured Nigerians that any information provided, that could lead to the arrest of traffickers, would be treated with utmost secrecy.

    He also assured that government was ready to protect the identity of informants, adding that the task of eradicating human trafficking in Nigeria required the efforts of all and sundry.

  • 160 Nigerians deported from Libya

    NEMA has received another batch of 160 stranded Nigerians from Libya.

    The returnees were received by the Coordinator, Lagos Territorial Office of NEMA, Alhaji Idris Muhammed at the Cargo Wing of MMIA, Ikeja,Lagos.

    They were brought back by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) with EU’s Special Intervention on Assisted Voluntary Returnees (AVR) programme and arrived Nigeria at about 7:50 pm  on Thursday evening via Nouvelair Airline of Libya.

    The returnees were made up of 68 female adults, one female child and five female infants.

    Also, there were 79 male adults, two male children and five male infants making up 74 females and 86 males, including a psychologically traumatized adult male.

    The coordinator while receiving them implored other Nigerians still aspiring to travel out of the country to desist from irregular migrations removing the fundamental rights that such migrants could have enjoyed.

    A returnee, Mrs Adebisi Komolafe, from Osogbo, Osun State, while narrating her experience, said: “Nigerians need to be praying fervently for our leaders, especially the president.

    Despite the bad situations in Libya, the people believe in their leaders and are praying fervently for them. They still see hope in their country.

    “If Nigerians can avoid blaming government for everything, with faith and sincerity, our prayers will be accepted by God.

    “God will guide our leaders right, if we direct our supplications to Almighty God to guide our leaders right.

    “I don’t wish any Nigerian should think of travelling to Libya. I never knew the situation in Libya before I left. If I had known, I wouldn’t have travelled there.

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    “Nigeria is far better than that country. We need prayers and sincerity in Nigeria.

    “I worked as a housemaid and had the opportunity to make some money, but the lack of government is a serious problem there. You cannot send money back home since I left Nigeria in 2016.

    “ The only thing I did was to buy goods that I could sell  in Nigeria and I brought everything back now.”

    Miss Aisha Ibrahim, from Oyo State, regretted her ordeal.

    “My sister told me that there were opportunities in Libya, I thought it was an opportunity to travel and make better life like in London or America.

    “My sister paid for my transportation and after a week on arrival at Libya, I got a housemaid work.

    “You must work and carryout any instructions given by those people. You must do whatever directives given. Failure to obey them will attract punishment or arrest.

    “At times, I will not come back to my sister’s house for three or six months. In Libya, you don’t have freedom. Once they hear you are a Nigerian, trouble starts. They don’t like us.  You cannot change work.

    “If you have travelling documents and you are caught, those documents will not be returned to you and you will be arrested. They can raid your house and cart away all your savings and property.”

    Miss Ibrahim explained that she worked for six months without break and when she wanted to visit her sister, she was accosted on the road.

    “I was arrested, all my money was taken away from me and above all, about 400,000 naira was paid to free me by my sister, and this made me to come back to Nigeria by going to the Nigerian Embassy. No Nigerian should think of going to Libya”.

  • 160 Nigerians deported from Libya

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA)  has received another batch of 160 stranded Nigerians from Libya

    The Returnees were received by the Coordinator, Lagos Territorial Office of NEMA, Alh Idris Muhammed at the Cargo Wing of MMIA, Ikeja Lagos.

    They were brought back by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) with EU’s special intervention on Assisted Voluntary Returnees (AVR) Programme and arrived Nigeria at about 7:50 p. M on Thursday evening via Nouvelair Airline of Libya.

    The Returnees were made up of 68 female adults, 1 female child and 5 female infants.

    Also, there are 79 male adults, 2 male children and 5 male infants making up 74 females and 86 males including a psychologically traumatized adult male

    The Coordinator while receiving them implored other Nigerians still aspiring to travel out of the country to desist from irregular migrations which removes the fundamental rights that such migrants could have enjoyed and by this expose them to avoidable risks.

    A Returnee, Mrs Adebisi Komolafe from Osogbo Osun State while narrating her experience explained that “Nigerians need to be praying fervently for Our leaders especially the President.

    Despite the bad situations in Libya, the people believe in their leaders and are praying fervently for them. They still see hope in their country”

    “If Nigerians can avoid blaming Government for everything, with faith and sincerity our prayers will be accepted by God.

    God will guide our leaders right if we direct our supplications to Almighty God to guide our leaders right.”

    I don’t wish any Nigerian should think of traveling to Libya, I never knew the situation in Libya before I left, if I had known, I wouldn’t have traveled there.”

    Nigeria is far better than that country.

    We need prayers and sincerity in Nigeria

    “I worked as a housemaid and had opportunity to make some money but the lack of government is a serious problem there.

    “I could nott send money back home since I left Nigeria in 2016.”

    ” The only thing I did was to buy goods that I can sell when I get back to Nigeria and I brought everything back now”

    Miss Aisha Ibrahim from Oyo State on her own, totally regretted her ordeal, my sister told me that there are opportunities in Libya, I thought it was an opportunity to travel and make better life like in London or America.

    My sister paid for my transportation and after a week on arrival at Libya, I got a housemaid work.

    “You must work and carryout any instructions given by those people. You must do whatever directives given.

    Failure to comply obey them will attract still punishment or arrest.”

    At times, I will not come back to my sister’s house for 3 or six months.

    In Libya, you don’t have freedom, once they hear you are a Nigerian, trouble starts. They don’t like us.”

    You cannot change work.

    “If you have travelling documents and you are caught, those documents will not be returned to you and you will be arrested.

    They can raid your house and cart away all your savings and property.”

    Miss Ibrahim explained that she worked for 6 months without break and when she wanted to visit her sister, she was accosted on the road

    I was arrested, all my money were taken away from me and above all, about 400,000 naira were paid to free me by my sister and this made me come back to Nigeria by going to Nigerian Embassy.

    No Nigerian should think of going to Libya please.

    Nigeria is far better than Nigeria

  • Pilot in court over alleged N91m fraud

    *Gets N50m bail

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned a pilot, Mamman Ali Ibrahim, before Justice A. I. Kutigi of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Gwagwalada, Abuja on a two-count charge of the offence of criminal breach of trust.

    The EFCC, in a statement issued on Friday by its spokesman, Tony Orilade, said Ibrahim serves as a pilot, in charge of Air Ambulance Aviation Unit and Helicopter Emergencies Service, at the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

    It is the prosecution’s claim that Ibrahim allegedly diverted over N91 million, money meant for the maintenance of the fleets, including Airbus, Air ambulance and the Helicopter.

    Orilade said: “His journey to the dock on February 7, 2019, followed a petition to the office of the Vice President, which was forwarded to the office of the acting EFCC Chairman, for investigation.

    “Investigations revealed that Ibrahim commercialised both the ambulance and the helicopter.

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    “He, however, claimed that the directive to commercialise them came from the office of a former vice president and a former Accountant General of the Federation.

    “Further investigations also revealed that the total sum of N285 million was realized from the commercialisation of the aircraft, while N63 million was paid to the AGF.

    “It was also gathered that N11 million was paid to NEMA, while the balance was yet to be accounted for.

    “According to the petition, over N4million was paid into the account of Aerocare West Africa Limited, a company belonging to the defendant, which he transferred to his family members.

    “One of the counts reads in part: ‘That you, Mamman Ali Ibrahim, whilst being employed in the public service and serving as a pilot in charge of Air Ambulance Aviation Unit and Helicopter Emergencies Services with the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, between 2014 and 2015, at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, while being entrusted with dominion over money, to wit, the sum of N64,550,810 (Sixty Four Million, Five Hundred and Fifty Thousand, Eight Hundred and Ten Naira) only, being part of the proceeds realized from the commercialization of the aircraft belonging to NEMA.’

    Orilade said Ibrahim pleaded not guilty to the charge when the counts were read to him.

    He added: “In view of his plea, prosecuting counsel, Deborah Ademu-Eteh, asked the court for a trial date.

    “Defence counsel, Aduojo Abah, however, moved the motion for the bail of his client.

    “Ademu-Eteh opposed the application, urging the court to “consider the severity of the punishment and the character of the evidence before the court”.

    “After listening to all the arguments, Justice Kutigi granted him bail in the sum of N50 million with one surety in like sum. The surety being a public servant not lower than level 14, must be a resident within the jurisdiction.

    “The case has been adjourned to April 10, 2019, for trial.“

  • NEMA seeks stakeholders’ collaboration

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) at the weekend called for collaboration with stakeholders in the South-South region for effective emergency management of the area.

    Mr Ibarakumo Walson, the New South-South Zonal Coordinator, NEMA, made the call during the official handing over ceremony by the outgoing coordinator in Port Harcourt, Mr Ejike Martins.

    Walson, who is also the Assistant Director, Planning Research and Forecast Management of NEMA, appealed to the media and other stakeholders to work with the agency to achieve its set goals and ensure effective emergency control and management.

    “I appeal to stakeholders and the media to collaborate with us because NEMA alone cannot effectively manage or control disasters without the cooperation and collaboration of stakeholders.

    “We need collaboration to continue from where my predecessor stopped because it is a continuous process; I appeal, especially to the media, to work with us to achieve the agency’s goal in the zone,” he said.

    He said the agency would ensure that the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and Local Emergency Management Committee (LEMC) worked together for positive results in disaster and emergency management.

    The Zonal Coordinator promised to work assiduously to move the agency forward and enjoined members of staff to work with him in realising this objective.

    Speaking earlier, Ejike, who welcomed Walson to the state, commended officers of the agency for their support and cooperation they gave him which made his work easy.

     

  • NEMA cautions traders against fire outbreaks

    The National Emergency management Agency(NEMA), on Saturday sensitized traders of Panteka market in Kaduna metropolis on fire prevention during the harmattan.

     Ishaya Chinoko, North west zonal coordinator of the agency, said the sensitization became necessary in view of the increase in fire incidents  during harmattan in several markets within the zone.

    According to him, “market fire is human-induced disaster that exposes victims to risk of injury, death and destruction of property.

    “The simulation exercise is in line with NEMA’s Disaster Risk Reduction response strategies, also aimed at reducing fire incidences in the state.

    “Today, NEMA is engaged in proactive emergency management and not reactionary form of emergency management,” he said after a simulation on fire control.

    He stressed the need for provision of fire extinguishers in markets to quell any fire outbreak and prevent losses by the traders.

    Chonoko added that insurance cover would help immensely in securing businesses, especially in times of fire outbreak, and advised the traders to insure their businesses and property.

    Paul Aboi, Director, Kaduna State Fire Service, advised the traders to take precautionary measures when burning refuse or keeping warm as such practices lead to fire out break.

    He said most fire incidences in the market where due to carelessness and negligence.

    The director reminded the traders on the need to follow simple burning ordinances and take precautions when burning anything outside.

    “We have had series of fire incidents and people need to be vigilant, people should just play safe, and use a lot of caution if they are going to be using anything outside with an open flame; we ask that they ensure they put out the fire,” Aboi said.

    He said the limited risk of fire was not the most critical warning but it was significant.

    “We do have a higher fire danger during the harmattan as it comes with descent winds.

    “Given the conditions, we still would not recommend any outside burning, people should please continue to take all the usual precautions,” Aboi said.

    He said fire must be attended to till it was completely extinguished. (NAN)

  • NEMA denies mismanagement of disaster fund

    The Director General, National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Mustapha Maihaja has denied claims and allegation by the House of Representative that the agency squandered N33billion emergency intervention fund meant for disaster management.

     Maihaja who spoke during a press briefing on Wednesday in Abuja said,  to provide context on the funding of the North East humanitarian response, the budget of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN-OCHA) for the period January to April 2017 was $1.05 Billion. The sum of $590 Million was for food and nutrition. As at April 2017, only the sum of $94.8 Million was provided by the donors.

    He said, “This meant that we had a shortfall of $495.8 Million in food funding. For the period May to October 2018, when the Federal Government Emergency Food Intervention for the North East was being implemented, the World Food Programme net-funding requirement was $230 Million.

    “Just to re-emphasis, we are not here to come up with excuses. Today, this public response is an obligation as a Government to adequately inform Nigerians of what truly happened. The confidence Nigerians have on NEMA and its capability to respond in their most difficult time of need cannot be tarnished. Nigerians need to be rest assured that NEMA is, was and will always remain  for the distressed.

     “On donated rice by the people’s Republic of China as a gesture of its brotherly relations with the Federal Republic of Nigeria donated 6,779 metric tones of rice to Nigeria as part of its support to the North East humanitarian efforts. This is equivalent to 135,550 units of 50kg bags of rice. In total, 271 containers arrived at Apapa Port from China in 5 shipments between June and October 2017.

     “In its mandate as the coordinating ministry for all foreign support, the Federal Ministry of Budget and National Planning received this kind gesture on behalf of the Nigerian Government. I will like to emphasis that while the Ministry of Budget and National Planning was the liaison with the Chinese Government, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development was the consignee of the Shipments.

    “Considering NEMA’s mandate as it relates to humanitarian intervention, we were instructed to take the responsibility of port clearing and ultimate movement of the rice to the North East.

    “The original Shipping documents and Custom Exemption Certificates were handed over to NEMA by the Ministry of Budget & National Planning (MB&NP) in December 2017 and January 2018. Thereafter NEMA commenced the immediate clearing and subsequent haulage of the donated rice to Maiduguri, Damaturu, Yola, Jalingo, Gombe and Bauchi. Being a donated consignment, it required duty exemption and other waivers before Clearing. The Government had restricted the importation of Rice; hence the process of getting the proper documentation also took extra time.

    “The total cost of Shipping and storage charges for the 271 containers was N518 million. We have all the receipts to prove this.  The actual cost of the donated rice is N2.24 billion (50.05 Million Chinese Yuan). To further justify that the items were received on behalf of the Federal Government, they were delivered into NEMA warehouses in Gombe, Borno, Yobe and Adamawa, and warehouses provided by the State Governments in Bauchi, Taraba and Yobe. The Chinese Rice was used for monthly feeding of the IDPs specifically in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States with balance in stock at Gombe, Bauchi and Taraba.”

    The DG said on the 15th April 2017, United Nations World Food Programme (UN WFP) alerted the FGN that it would be reducing its vital support to about 1.8 million IDPs by as much as 85%, due to corresponding reduction in funding by the donor countries. The WFP requested the FGN’s support to augment this shortfall and avert any additional suffering on the displaced Nigerians in the zone. Based on the analysis presented, the WFP shortfall would commence by May or June 2017.

    Around the same time, the United Nations Commission for Refugees in Geneva also issued a warning of growing risk of mass death from starvation among people living in conflict areas, including Nigeria.

  • House ‘ll not rescind resolution indicting Osinbajo, NEMA, says Dogara

    National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Managing Director Mustapha Maihaja stands indicted and the House of Representatives will not rescind its resolution on the investigative report that informed the decision, it was learnt yesterday.

    The lawmakers also insisted that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has questions to answer over the management of the agency’s finances, being the chairman of its governing board.

    Osinbajo, on Thursday, in a response to the House resolution on NEMA, said insinuations on  the purported indictments and perceived violations of due process or the constitution were baseless and false.

    Such interpretations are flawed and should be utterly ignored, he said.

    Osinbajo was also indicted and recommended for sanction for approving N5.8 billion for the procurement of food items for victims of insurgency in the Northeast in 2016.

    The lawmakers said the money was released, but no procurement was made.

    Speaker Yakubu Dogara, while ruling on a point of order by the Chairman of House Committee on Emergency and Disaster Preparedness, Ali Isa, said the resolution of the House was informed by the documentary evidence at its disposal.

    Dogara said the House would not rescind its decision, neither would it offer any apology over the decision.

    He, however, said the only means through which the House could rescind its decision is if any government official or Nigerian that have issues with the report could present documentary evidence that would invalidate the ones at its disposal.

    On that note, he said until then, the House stands by its decision, would not withdraw the report, rescind its resolution nor apologise to anyone.

    Isa, had in his point of order, complained that some newspapers misrepresented the report’s recommendation and that there was nowhere in the report where the name of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo was mentioned for indictment.

    He said the vice president had a case to answer being the chairman of the board that suspended six directors of the agency and the Acting President that approved the release N5.8 billion from the Euro bond component of the Consolidated Revenue Account (CRA) for the procurement of food items for Northeast insurgency victims.

    He said if any government official felt he was indicted, then so be it.

    He said documents showed that no food grains were procured for the purpose.

    “I was expecting them to have waited to receive the report and the resolution before issuing statement and contradicting the report they have not seen.

    “Meanwhile, this is the government that says it’s fighting corruption, but it’s the same government that is attacking this report that has exposed corruption in NEMA.

    “We acted to save the country and the report is all about asking the government to look at areas of inefficiency of the agencies involved,” the House committee chairman said.

    He laid some of the documents that the committee worked on during the investigation that formed the basis of the report and the recommendations.

    Isa, at a news briefing after the plenary, also defended the Speaker over allegations of being behind the travails and the negative report of the committee that indicted the NEMA MD.