NEMA Says in 6 years 562 Killed Flood Disasters, 1.8m Displaced in Northeast Insurgency

Posted by African Examiner Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Thursday, January 24th, 2019

From Ignatius Okpara, Enugu

(AFRRICAN EXAMINER) – The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has disclosed that flood disasters that occurred in 2012 and 2018 in parts of Nigeria claimed about five hundred and sixty two (562) lives, just as over 1.8 million people were displaced by the insurgency induced conflicts in three states of North East Nigeria.

It listed the three most affected states to include, Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states, hinting that over 7 million people were affected during the 2012 flood disasters.

Director General of NEMA, Engineer Mustapha Maihaja, made this known on Wednesday at a 3- day National Workshop organized by the Agency in collaboration with UNICEF on Review of National Contingency Plan holding in Enugu, south- East Nigeria.

Maihaja, who spoke through the Director, Planning Research and Forecasting, Mr. Fagbemi Kayode, said the flood disaster in 2012 killed 363 people while that of 2018 claimed 199 lives

The NEMA boss, noted that nature induced disasters such as flood and draught have increased significantly, adding that resilience capacity of riverine communities has weakened

You will agree with me that disasters in Nigeria has continued to increase geometrically with attendance high rate of humanitarian crisis that fosters poverty, insecurity, and underdevelopment in the country.

According to him, conflict induced humanitarian crisis account for a larger percentage of the disasters recorded in Nigeria, stressing that almost all 36 states of the country have experienced multiple cases of manmade or nature induced disasters with attendance humanitarian risks.

The NEMA D-G, further hinted that that in 2012, 2.3m people were displaced, while 597,476 houses were destroyed or damaged.

The insurgency induced conflicts in the Northeast currently ranks highest amongst the humanitarian crisis in Nigeria.

“In view of this current situation, you will agree with me on the need to update the National Contingency Plan to reflect the current realities. The idea of developing a National Contingency Plan (NCP) was developed in March 2011 as a coordinated attempt to proactively prepare for response to disasters in Nigeria

“Therefore ladies and gentlemen, in view of the current realities of increases in environmental disasters, complex emergencies and the phenomenon of climate change, and going by the dynamic changes that has occurred in the risk profile of the country, you will agree with me that the time is ripe to update the National Contingency Plan for the country” he stated.

Maihaja, told the participants that the expectation of the organization is that they reviewed “the risks we face and develop a contingency plan that can be activated and operationalize in the event of any humanitarian crises that might occurred.

In her remarks, UNICEF Chief of Emergencies in Nigeria, Nicki Benneth, said the organization has been supporting Nigerian government on issues concerning disasters handling and sanitation, expressing the hope that such partnership will continue to grow from strength to strength.

Our Correspondent reports that the Workshop is being attended by key stakeholders in disaster management from various parts of the country.