The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has distributed food, non-food and livelihood support items to 653 households affected by the 2025 flood disaster in Kebbi State.
The intervention is part of the Federal Government’s Presidential Post-Flood Intervention programme aimed at supporting communities affected by flooding across the country.
The Director-General of NEMA, Mrs Zubaida Umar, disclosed this on Tuesday during the direct distribution of the items in Birnin Kebbi.
Umar, represented by the Director of Relief and Rehabilitation, Alhaji Abbani Garki, said the 2025 flood disaster affected 128 local government areas across the country, claiming 241 lives, affected 459,995 people and displaced 158,588 others.
She added that the disaster destroyed 96,649 farmlands, alongside small businesses, infrastructure and other livelihood assets.
According to her, the figures represent families and communities whose sources of livelihood have been disrupted, making sustained humanitarian support necessary to facilitate their recovery.
Umar said the intervention reflected President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to disaster risk reduction, humanitarian assistance and the protection of vulnerable communities under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
She explained that the Kebbi distribution was designed to provide immediate relief and targeted livelihood support, with priority given to female-headed households and persons living with disabilities.
“The items to be distributed for 653 beneficiary households include 500 bags of 25kg rice, 500 cartons of spaghetti, each containing 20 packs of 500g, and 250 cartons of vegetable oil, each containing four 5-litre containers.
“Others are 500 foam mattresses, 250 nylon mats, 250 blankets, 83 grinding machines, 55 sewing machines and 15 cargo tricycles,” she said.
The NEMA director-general said the agency was working with the Kebbi State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), relevant ministries, departments and agencies, local government authorities and security agencies to ensure transparent and equitable distribution.
She urged community leaders and beneficiaries to cooperate with officials to ensure a smooth and orderly exercise.
Umar stressed that emergency relief was only the first step towards recovery, adding that the Federal Government remained committed to helping affected communities rebuild their livelihoods and strengthen their capacity to withstand future disasters.
She also called for collective efforts by federal and state governments, local authorities, civil society organisations and citizens to improve disaster preparedness and response.
In his remarks, Governor Nasir Idris, represented by the Commissioner for Religious Affairs, Alhaji Sani Aliyu, commended NEMA for its sustained partnership with the state government and other relief agencies in supporting vulnerable communities.
He described the intervention as commendable, praising Umar for what he called her commitment to the welfare of the people of the state.
“We appreciate the D-G for these wonderful interventions.
“NEMA has demonstrated its commitment to supporting the state government and other agencies in providing relief to our people,” he said.
The governor urged beneficiaries to make judicious use of the items, particularly the livelihood and skills-development equipment, to improve their economic capacity and the welfare of their families.
Also speaking, the Chairman of SEMA in the state, Alhaji Kabiru Bako, commended the Federal Government for the intervention, describing it as a demonstration of its commitment to supporting disaster-affected communities.
Bako said the items would help alleviate the hardship faced by affected households and urged beneficiaries to use them to improve their living conditions and restore their livelihoods.
He reaffirmed SEMA’s commitment to collaborating with relevant agencies to mitigate disasters and provide relief assistance to affected persons across the state.
