Abuja — The Nigerian Army and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) have renewed their partnership on disaster preparedness and emergency response, as forecasts warn of severe flooding in 33 states this rainy season.
The collaboration was announced Friday when NEMA Director-General Zubaida Abubakar Umar visited the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, at the Army Headquarters in Abuja.
Shaibu reaffirmed the Army’s commitment to supporting civil authorities in disaster management, calling emergency response a key component of national security. He said the Army would continue deploying personnel, equipment and specialised capabilities to assist flood-affected communities, in line with its constitutional mandate.
The Army chief disclosed that Disaster Response Units (DRUs) have been established in all six geopolitical zones, positioned to enable rapid deployment to flood-prone and vulnerable areas.
To improve coordination, Shaibu directed the Chief of Training (Army) to give NEMA access to the Land Forces Simulation Centre for joint planning and scenario-based training exercises — a move he said would strengthen inter-agency decision-making before and during emergencies.
He also called for intelligence-driven disaster strategies, closer monitoring of dams and reservoirs, and stronger regional cooperation on water management, stressing that effective disaster response depends on early warning systems and sustained collaboration among security and emergency agencies.
For her part, Umar commended the Army as one of NEMA’s most dependable partners in disaster response. She said the agency’s latest flood outlook shows 33 states at high risk this rainy season, prompting intensified preparedness efforts nationwide, including disaster simulation exercises planned for Oyo, Cross River and Adamawa states.
Umar appealed for greater military support in engineering, airlift operations and search-and-rescue missions, noting the Army’s capabilities remain vital to effective disaster response.
Both institutions reaffirmed their commitment to building a more resilient national emergency response system to protect lives, safeguard infrastructure and reduce the humanitarian impact of natural disasters across Nigeria.