By Rita Iliya
In the aftermath of devastating floods that swept through Niger State in 2025, a narrative of gratitude, resilience, and urgent advocacy has emerged. A recent monitoring visit by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) provided a platform for beneficiaries to voice their appreciation for federal intervention while simultaneously highlighting the critical need for a paradigm shift from reactive relief to proactive, long-term resilience building.
A Lifeline in Crisis: Voices from the Ground
During a visit by a NEMA Monitoring and Evaluation Team led by Mr. Manzo Ezekiel, flood victims from across Niger State offered heartfelt commendations to President Bola Tinubu and NEMA for their timely response. Their testimonials paint a vivid picture of a crisis met with decisive action.
Malam Muntari Abdulbaki from Rafi Local Government Area captured the sentiment of many, stating, “The intervention helped to reduce hardship and restored hope.” He specifically thanked the President for prioritizing the welfare of vulnerable populations during the disaster—a crucial aspect of ethical governance in emergencies.
For Alhaji Musa Abubakar of Mokwa LGA, the support was existential. “NEMA came with food items and other essentials when we had nothing left,” he recounted, emphasizing that the intervention saved lives. His account underscores the fundamental role of immediate humanitarian aid: providing drinking water, rescue operations, and basic sustenance in the critical first days and weeks post-disaster.
The impact on women and children was particularly noted. Mrs. Zainab Mohammed from Lavun, whose home was submerged, detailed receiving essential items like rice, mats, and blankets. “I sincerely thank the Federal Government for remembering us,” she said, highlighting how targeted relief can provide dignity and stability for the most vulnerable demographics in a disaster scenario.
Beyond Gratitude: The Persistent Call for Systemic Change
While grateful, the beneficiaries unanimously transcended mere thanks to issue a powerful appeal for sustainable solutions. Their requests move beyond the immediate crisis, targeting the root causes of their perennial vulnerability.
Alhaji Musa Abubakar urged the government to “strengthen early warning awareness at the community level.” This points to a gap between high-level forecasts and grassroots comprehension—a common failure point in disaster risk reduction globally.
Mrs. Rabiatu Sadiq, affected in a riverine community, called explicitly for “the construction of embankments to protect riverine communities from annual flooding.” This appeal speaks directly to the need for investment in physical infrastructure and climate adaptation, recognizing that relief, while vital, is not a permanent fix for predictable, recurring disasters.
Inside NEMA’s 2025 Strategy: Coordination, Prediction, and Preparedness
Mr. Husseini Isah, Head of NEMA’s Minna Operations Office, provided a detailed look into the agency’s multifaceted approach for the year. His explanation reveals a modern disaster management framework reliant on coordination, science, and pre-emptive action.
Isah clarified NEMA’s core mandate as a coordinator, not a sole operator, working with stakeholders at federal, state, and community levels. He credited enhanced capacity to President Tinubu’s support for NEMA’s Director-General, Zubairu Umar.
The operational blueprint was heavily informed by predictive science. NEMA relied on early warning messages from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NHSA), which identified Niger State as highly vulnerable due to its proximity to Rivers Niger and Kaduna.
“Based on these predictions,” Isah explained, “the director-general convened stakeholders’ meetings… to develop disaster management documents and climate risk-related mitigation strategies.” This proactive step—translating data into actionable plans—is a cornerstone of effective emergency management. Subsequent actions included urging states to clear waterways, construct drainage channels, and, critically, translate early warnings into local dialects for community understanding.
NEMA’s tangible interventions were comprehensive:
Search & Rescue: Deployment of mobile intensive evacuation units and trained teams.
Relief Distribution: Provision of food (rice, maize, oil), non-food items (mats, blankets, soap), and tents.
Specialized Support: Use of mobile water treatment machines to address the immediate threat of waterborne diseases.
Geographic Reach: Responses in Mokwa, Lavun, Edati, and to the unrelated Diko tanker explosion.
The State Partnership: NSEMA’s Perspective on Collaborative Governance
Alhaji Abdullah Baba-Arah, Director-General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), offered a crucial perspective on inter-agency collaboration. He affirmed a “good understanding and collaboration” between NSEMA and NEMA, with joint operations and shared resources, including farm inputs for recovery.
However, he pointedly noted a systemic challenge: “Some NEMA interventions were channelled through members of the National Assembly rather than directly through the state agency.” This observation opens a discussion on the efficiency and potential politicization of disaster response channels, suggesting that direct agency-to-agency coordination might streamline aid delivery.
Baba-Arah highlighted a successful model of collaboration during the catastrophic Mokwa flood, which claimed over 200 lives. “NEMA was among the first responders… NEMA teams stayed with victims throughout the camp period alongside state authorities… making the collaboration highly effective.” This on-the-ground, integrated presence is a best-practice model for future responses.
Analysis: The Path from Relief to Resilience
This account from Niger State presents a microcosm of disaster management in a climate-vulnerable region. The effective 2025 response, lauded by victims, demonstrates improved federal capacity and coordination. The provision of timely, multi-sectoral relief is an undeniable success that alleviated suffering.
Yet, the beneficiaries’ pleas are the most instructive part of the narrative. They reveal that effective relief, while morally and practically necessary, can inadvertently perpetuate a cycle of dependency if not coupled with robust investment in disaster risk reduction (DRR). The calls for embankments, better early warning systems, and livelihood support are calls for breaking this cycle.
The ultimate takeaway is twofold: First, commendation for a well-executed humanitarian response that saved lives and restored hope. Second, and more importantly, a clear mandate from the affected communities themselves for all tiers of government to pivot resources and political will towards the long-term solutions—infrastructure, land-use planning, climate-adaptive agriculture, and empowered local agencies—that will make such large-scale relief less necessary in the future. The 2025 floods tested Nigeria’s response system; the coming years will test its commitment to resilience.
Edited by Isaac Ukpoju
