The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has launched the distribution of relief food baskets to 6,000 vulnerable households affected by various disasters in Yobe State.

The support was initiated by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief) of Saudi Arabia.

The director-general of NEMA, Zubaida Umar, disclosed this at the flag-off ceremony in Damaturu on Thursday.

 Ms Umar said the intervention was part of the enduring humanitarian partnership between NEMA and KSrelief aimed at supporting vulnerable populations across Nigeria.

She said the Saudi-based humanitarian organisation had donated 24,302 food baskets for distribution to vulnerable households in Yobe, Benue, Anambra, Kebbi and Taraba states.

According to her, Yobe is the first state selected to commence the distribution.

“A total of 6,000 profiled households in Yobe will receive the food baskets under this intervention.

“Similar distributions will be carried out in Benue, Anambra, Kebbi and Taraba states, extending relief and hope to thousands of vulnerable families across the country,” she said.

The NEMA boss said KSrelief had consistently supported humanitarian efforts in Nigeria through relief interventions and technical assistance designed to strengthen emergency response capacity.

She said that previous interventions by the organisation in Yobe had provided critical support to internally displaced persons and other vulnerable groups affected by insurgency and other humanitarian challenges.

Ms Umar said NEMA would implement the distribution in collaboration with the Yobe State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and trained volunteers.

She assured the donor organisation and other stakeholders that the exercise would be conducted in line with established accountability and operational standards.

“We remain fully committed to transparency, accountability, fairness and integrity throughout the distribution process.

“Our goal is to ensure that the food baskets reach the intended beneficiaries efficiently and with dignity,” she said.

Ms Umar also used the occasion to caution residents about the dangers of rain-triggered floods.

She urged communities in flood-prone areas to clear drains, avoid indiscriminate dumping of refuse, relocate to higher grounds and adhere to early warning advisories issued by relevant authorities.

The director-general also called on parents to ensure that children do not play in contaminated waters or erosion-prone areas during heavy rainfall.

She further appealed to traditional and religious leaders, youth groups and community volunteers to support public awareness campaigns on disaster preparedness and resilience.

Ms Umar commended the government and people of Saudi Arabia, particularly the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, for their continued support of vulnerable communities in Nigeria.

She urged beneficiaries to make proper use of the items and refrain from selling them.

In a remark, Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe, represented by the acting secretary to the state government, Mohammed Goje, expressed appreciation to NEMA and KSrelief for the intervention.

Mr Buni described the selection of Yobe as the first state for the distribution exercise as a gesture that the state would not take for granted.

He said the intervention would provide immediate relief to vulnerable households while strengthening community resilience.

“This distribution of 6,000 food baskets demonstrates global solidarity and shared responsibility toward communities affected by disasters and vulnerabilities.

“It complements the ongoing efforts of the Federal and Yobe State governments to support vulnerable populations,” he said.

The governor said Yobe had experienced various humanitarian and climate-related challenges, including flooding, windstorms, fire incidents and communal conflicts that disrupted livelihoods in several communities.

According to him, disaster management has become a critical component of sustainable development and resilience building.

Mr Buni said the state government had continued to implement proactive disaster preparedness measures, including a flood preparedness plan informed by lessons from previous flood incidents.

He added that the plan targeted about 120,000 vulnerable households in high-risk communities and included contingency measures for possible displacement.

The governor reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to strengthening early warning systems, community preparedness and long-term recovery programmes.

He described the intervention as a demonstration of the importance of collaboration among governments, communities, development partners and humanitarian organisations in addressing humanitarian challenges.

Mr Buni assured that the distribution exercise would be conducted transparently to ensure that assistance reached the most vulnerable beneficiaries.

He also appealed for sustained humanitarian support and partnership to enhance resilience and promote sustainable development across communities in the state. 

(NAN)