FEMD INTENSIFIES FLOOD PREPAREDNESS CAMPAIGN, URGES RESIDENTS TO TAKE PREVENTIVE MEASURES

By: Nkechi Isa

As the rainy season reaches its peak in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the FCT Emergency Management Department (FEMD) has intensified its flood preparedness and public sensitisation campaign, urging residents, community leaders and other stakeholders to work together to prevent the loss of lives and property.

The renewed call was made during a one-day Stakeholders’ Engagement on the National Disaster Preparedness and Response Campaign 2026, where emergency management experts warned that weather forecasts indicate a high risk of flooding in vulnerable communities across the Territory.

Speaking at the engagement, the Head of Forecasting, Response and Mitigation at FEMD, Dr. Mark Nyam, stressed the need for proactive measures to reduce the impact of flooding, particularly in identified flood-prone areas.

According to him, disaster preparedness requires collective action from government agencies, community leaders and residents to safeguard lives and property during the rainy season.

Also speaking, the Head of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Abuja Operations Office, Mr. Zakari Abubakar, said the agency had put in place several measures to mitigate the impact of flooding across the country.

“Our interventions focus on prevention, preparedness, response and recovery to minimise the impact of disasters on affected communities,” he said.

Abubakar urged FEMD to sustain its awareness campaign by taking flood preparedness messages to grassroots communities, particularly residents living along riverbanks and other flood-prone locations.

In his remarks, the Director of the Department of Development Control called for strict enforcement of regulations protecting waterways and drainage channels, noting that encroachment on natural watercourses remains a major contributor to flooding in the FCT.

As part of the campaign, participants visited flood-prone areas in the Mabushi and Lokogoma districts to assess vulnerabilities and reinforce the need for preventive action.

The stakeholders’ meeting brought together representatives of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), the Nigerian Red Cross Society, the FCT Fire Service, the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), and other relevant organisations involved in disaster risk management.

In a related development, FEMD extended its flood preparedness campaign to Gwagwalada Area Council, where residents and traditional leaders were sensitised on measures to reduce flood risks.

Addressing palace officials during the visit, Dr. Nyam attributed most flooding incidents in the FCT to human activities, dismissing claims that flooding in Gwagwalada was caused by the release of water from nearby dams.

“Disasters are often localised, and human activities frequently worsen the situation. Residents should avoid dumping refuse into drainage channels and must not build on waterways or natural flood paths,” he said.

He emphasised that indiscriminate waste disposal, blocked drainage systems and illegal developments on floodplains remain major factors contributing to flooding across the Territory.

During the interactive session, several district and village heads identified the absence of designated refuse dumpsites as one of the reasons for indiscriminate waste disposal in the area. They called for the provision of waste disposal facilities and stricter enforcement of environmental sanitation laws to discourage practices that increase flood risks.

Speaking on behalf of the Aguma of Gwagwalada, Alhaji Mohammed Magaji, theWaziri of Gwagwalada, Alhaji Bala Garba Madaki, described the sensitisation campaign as timely and commendable.

He assured the emergency management team that the flood preparedness message would be cascaded to district, ward and village heads, as well as religious leaders, to ensure wider community awareness.

Madaki also pledged the traditional institution’s support in encouraging residents living along riverbanks and other vulnerable locations to relocate to safer, higher ground to minimise the risk of flooding.

FEMD said it would continue its public awareness campaign across communities in the FCT as part of efforts to strengthen disaster preparedness, promote environmental responsibility and build community resilience against flooding throughout the 2026 rainy season.