By Salau Ibrahim
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Kogi State Command, and the management of Graphic Newspaper have pledged their full support to the Kogi State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) as the state intensifies preparations for the anticipated 2026 flood.
The commitment was made during separate visits by the Kogi State Flood Response Technical Committee, led by the Executive Secretary of Kogi SEMA, Alhaji Mouktar Atimah, as part of an ongoing statewide sensitisation and stakeholder engagement campaign aimed at mitigating the impact of the predicted flooding.
Receiving the delegation at the NSCDC State Command Headquarters in Lokoja, the State Commandant, Commandant Aletan Olumide Ebenezer, reaffirmed the Corps’ readiness to work closely with SEMA to safeguard lives and property in flood-prone communities.
Represented by the Deputy Commandant of Corps and Second-in-Command (2IC), Ademola A. Bello, the Commandant commended Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo for his proactive approach to disaster risk management, noting that the administration’s early preparedness initiatives would significantly reduce the impact of the anticipated floods.
He assured that NSCDC personnel would be deployed to provide adequate security at designated Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps across the nine flood-prone local government areas of the state, stressing that the Corps remains committed to maintaining law and order throughout the emergency period.
The Commandant also urged the Flood Response Technical Committee to sustain intensive public sensitisation in vulnerable communities to ensure residents heed early warning messages and comply with evacuation directives whenever necessary.
Responding, the Executive Secretary of Kogi SEMA, Alhaji Mouktar Atimah, appreciated the NSCDC for its professionalism and unwavering support during previous flood emergencies.
He stressed that stronger collaboration among emergency responders and security agencies remains critical to achieving an effective and coordinated response to the anticipated flooding.
As part of the sensitisation tour, the committee also visited the management of Graphic Newspaper, where Atimah solicited the media organisation’s support in expanding public awareness on flood preparedness and disaster risk reduction.
He described Graphic Newspaper as a widely circulated publication with the capacity to reach communities across Kogi State and beyond, urging the organisation to sustain robust public enlightenment campaigns before, during and after the flooding season.
Managing Director of Graphic Newspaper, Mr. Yusufu Itopa, assured the committee of the newspaper’s unwavering support, pledging to partner with SEMA in educating residents on preventive and safety measures that would help minimise the impact of flooding.
The committee equally paid advocacy visits to the Etsu Adankolo, Chief David Agbayi II, and the Gaku of Ganaja, Chief Abubakar Yakubu, where Atimah appealed to residents of flood-prone communities to relocate from low-lying areas to safer locations ahead of the peak of the rainy season.
He explained that flood predictions released by relevant agencies indicate that this year’s flooding could be severe, adding that the Kogi State Government, in collaboration with the Federal Government and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), has concluded arrangements for temporary camps to accommodate displaced persons.
According to him, one of the major challenges experienced during previous flood disasters was the reluctance of some residents to vacate their homes despite repeated warnings, a situation that often resulted in avoidable loss of lives and property.
The traditional rulers commended the Flood Response Technical Committee for embarking on early sensitisation and preparedness campaigns and pledged to mobilise their subjects to comply with government directives aimed at protecting lives and property.
Also speaking, the Director of Relief and Rehabilitation at Kogi SEMA, Mr. Sunday Siaka, urged community leaders to ensure transparency and fairness in the compilation of lists of genuine flood victims and cautioned against the inclusion of ineligible persons in beneficiary lists, stressing that government relief materials should be reserved strictly for verified victims of flooding.
Mr. Siaka further called on the NSCDC to sustain its commendable security support during flood emergencies, describing the Corps as a dependable partner in disaster response operations.
Other members of the Flood Response Technical Committee also emphasised the need for stronger synergy among security agencies, the media, traditional institutions and emergency management stakeholders, noting that effective collaboration remains indispensable to reducing the impact of the anticipated 2026 flooding across Kogi State.
