The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s commitment to strengthening national disaster preparedness, emergency response and humanitarian assistance as critical components of the country’s security architecture.
Speaking on Friday while receiving the Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mrs. Zubaida Abubakar Umar, at the Army Headquarters in Abuja, the COAS described NEMA as a key strategic partner whose mandate complements the Army’s constitutional role of supporting civil authorities during emergencies.
Lt. Gen. Shaibu assured NEMA of the Army’s readiness to provide rapid operational support in disaster situations nationwide. He disclosed that the Nigerian Army has established specialised Disaster Response Units (DRUs) across the six geopolitical zones, equipped for swift deployment to flood-prone and other high-risk areas.
To enhance inter-agency preparedness, the COAS directed the Chief of Training (Army) to grant NEMA access to the Land Forces Simulation Centre for joint tabletop exercises and scenario-based planning aimed at improving coordination, decision-making and operational effectiveness.
He also stressed the need for intelligence-led disaster risk management, urging NEMA to intensify monitoring of dams and reservoirs and strengthen regional collaboration on transboundary water management to mitigate seasonal flooding.
According to him, effective disaster management depends on early warning systems, timely information sharing and close collaboration among relevant agencies to protect lives, safeguard critical infrastructure and sustain socio-economic stability.
Earlier, NEMA Director-General Mrs. Zubaida Abubakar Umar commended the Nigerian Army for its continued support in disaster management operations. She revealed that flood forecasts indicate a high risk of flooding in 33 states during the current rainy season, with simulation exercises planned for vulnerable states, including Oyo, Cross River and Adamawa.
She appealed for greater military support in engineering, aviation and search-and-rescue operations to further strengthen the nation’s disaster response capacity.
