The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Gwabin Musa has reiterated the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) continuous support to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
General Musa stated this on July 29, 2024, when he received the Director General of NEMA, Hajia Zubaida Umar, and her entourage on a courtesy call to the Defence Headquarters Abuja. Her visit was based on the report she received on assuming office as regards the impressive support extended to NEMA.
The CDS congratulated her for a well-deserved appointment, noting that the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) will leverage on NEMA rescue plan to avert future unfortunate disasters. He restated the AFN’s continuous support to the Agency, saying NEMA is doing a lot to improve things and adding that the Agency is also touching lives through its activities.
Hajia Zubaida who could not hide her deep impression of the AFN support says “Collaboration has become crucial as we strive to meet up to the NEMA mandate on disaster management and building of resilience in Nigeria in the face of armed conflicts, coupled with growing disaster incidents driven by climate change and intensive competition over dwindling land and water resources.”
She added that NEMA has recognised the vital role the AFN plays through the Disaster Response Units (DRUs), noting that the Armed Forces activities towards her agency save lives and restore normalcy.
The DG seized the opportunity to applaud the AFN provisions of security, airlift of relief items, and evacuation which she said exemplify the critical support the military is providing as assistance to Civil Authorities.
She added that NEMA consistently supports capacity building for AFN personnel on disaster management and actively sponsors joint simulation exercises for various anticipated disaster and emergency scenarios using military facilities.
Speaking further, she said apart from equipment support to partners, NEMA has provided operational equipment to the military over the years. She also updates the CDS on NEMA’s ongoing flood disaster preparedness and mitigation drive as the rainy season sets in.
Hajia Zubaida finally called on the CDS to direct the Military DRUs to heighten preparedness efforts to mitigate the impact of potential floods, as disclosed in a statement by the Director Defence Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau.