The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has held a full-scale flood simulation exercise at Dukku, a riverine community outside of Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State, in an effort to improve disaster preparedness at the local level.
Dukku is one of the high-risk localities that will be particularly susceptible to flooding in the 2025 season because of a river that passes through the community.
Developed in partnership with the Kebbi State Government, the simulation exercise aimed to enhance stakeholder coordination, test flood response plans, and increase public awareness of possible disasters.
It is a component of NEMA’s larger preparedness plan that focuses on the North West and North Central regions of Nigeria, which are particularly vulnerable to flooding.
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Leading the exercise was the Director General of NEMA, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, who emphasised the importance of readiness and collaboration in saving lives during disasters.
She noted that the simulation was aimed at enhancing coordination, communication, and operational efficiency among all disaster response stakeholders.
She added that the exercise was also intended to identify gaps in existing response mechanisms and strengthen multi-agency collaboration across the region.
Participants in the exercise were critical first responders, including military Disaster Response Units (DRUs), the Nigeria Police, Federal Fire Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), and the Nigerian Red Cross Society.
The simulation was also intended to emphasize flood dangers associated with heavy rainfall and potential dam overflows in the region, which might have a substantial impact on communities.
As part of the Agency’s community service, Director General NEMA Mrs Zubaida Umar distributed life jackets to Dukku locals to help them stay safe in the case of floods.
