The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has identified 148 communities across 17 local government areas of Jigawa State as flood-prone zones for the 2026 rainy season and warned residents to abide by safety measures.
The warning was issued during a stakeholders’ engagement on disaster preparedness held in Dutse, as part of NEMA’s nationwide campaign to strengthen resilience against natural disasters.
Representing the director-general of NEMA, Mrs Zubaida Umar, the North-West Zonal Director, Aliyu Shehu, stated that communities situated along riverbanks and waterways face a heightened risk of flooding and should take precautionary measures ahead of peak rainfall periods.
He also encouraged communities to familiarize themselves with evacuation routes and emergency response procedures.
Atthe event, the executive secretary of the Jigawa State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Hannafi Yakubu, assured residents of the state’s readiness to respond to any emergency.
He revealed that 20 speedboats have been deployed to support evacuation and rescue operations in vulnerable areas.
He further disclosed that relief materials, including food and other essential items, have been stocked to assist affected persons should flooding occur.
NEMA, in collaboration with the Jigawa State government, donor partners, and community organizations, has currently embarked on public enlightenment and advocacy campaigns on measures that need to be adopted by communities and the government to minimize the damage that may be caused by flooding if it occurs in the state.
