The Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mrs. Zubaida Umar, has called on residents of flood-prone communities across Nigeria to urgently heed early warning alerts and relocate to safer locations as the rainy season peaks.
Umar warned that the ongoing period of heavy rainfall poses significant risks, stressing the need for proactive community-level measures to mitigate the impact of flooding. She urged citizens to take official advisories seriously and move to higher ground whenever there are signs of impending floods.
This was contained in a statement signed by Manzo Ezekiel of the NEMA Press Unit on July 18, 2026.
The NEMA boss also cautioned against risky behaviors that could worsen the situation, including driving or walking through floodwaters and indiscriminate dumping of refuse in drainage channels. She emphasized the importance of promptly reporting emergencies to relevant authorities to enable swift response.
According to her, preparedness and early evacuation remain the most effective strategies to prevent loss of lives and reduce the devastating effects of flooding during the peak of the rainy season.
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Umar further disclosed that NEMA’s Zonal Directors and Heads of Operations Offices have been directed to intensify grassroots sensitization campaigns on flood preparedness. She noted that the agency is strengthening collaboration with State Emergency Management Agencies (SEMAs), Local Emergency Management Committees (LEMCs), traditional institutions, and other stakeholders to enhance coordinated response efforts.
She reaffirmed NEMA’s commitment to continuous monitoring of flood developments nationwide, assuring that the agency will work closely with partners to ensure timely search and rescue operations as well as the provision of humanitarian assistance to affected communities.
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