After undertaking underground assessments on the needs and plights of displaced people from the clashes between Nigerian security forces and the John Togo group in Ayokoromor, in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has directed its zonal offices in Port-Harcourt and Enugu to immediate move relief materials to the victims.

The Director General of the agency, Muhammad Sani-Sidi who gave the directive also appeal to security personnel son the routes to facilitates the task of NEMA officials and trucks that would be conveying the items to the temporary camps areas.  The items to be provided to the victims include drugs, food items, beddings, cutleries and clothes.

The intervention came at a time the agency leads World Bank teams to inspect some worst-hit flooded affected areas in the Northern and Southern parts of the country but clearance for South-South-zone could not be made so far due to security reasons.

Speaking after leading the World Bank teams to Sokoto and Kebbi States, Muhammad Sani-Sidi NEMA officials would continue to move swiftly to disaster areas but with the cooperation of other response agencies. He said the colossal of damages of recent disasters in the country, especially on natural disaster like flood overwhelmed the affected communities and attracted attention of the international organizations including the United Nations and the World Bank which consider assistance to the victims. He said the UN had requested for data on the damages and physical assessment of the situation to enable the kind assistance the victims may require.

Representing DG NEMA in Sokoto and Kebbi State, the Deputy Director Planning Research and Forecasting Mallam Alhassan Nuhu advised the affected communities to relocate from the flood plains as the present situation of climate change may result in future flood in the areas.

Sani-Sidi, urged relevant authorities to assist in response, mitigating, relocation of communities in the disaster areas and enforcement of regulations for safety. He said while the federal government through NEMA would continue to provide for the people in distress, communities and other stakeholders must also rise to their responsibilities to protect their environments from such circumstances, noting that disaster management is all involving.

The World Bank officials to the Northern States include Senior Hydropower Specialist, Oeyvind Espeseth Lie and Senior Water Resources Management Specialist, David Casanova.