The Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Department (FEMD) has said it rescued 3 500 people from various emergencies through 165 calls on its 112 toll-free number in 2024.
The Acting Director General of FEMD, Abdulrahman Mohammed, said this during a press conference on Monday in Abuja.
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Mr Mohammed said 75 lives were rescued from various flood disaters while one life was lost. He also another 105 persons were rescued from building collapse while four others died.
The Acting Director General of FEMD, Abdulrahman MohammedThe DG added that 1,230 persons were rescued from various fire incidents, though no life was lost.
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“A breakdown of the search and rescue activities in 2024 shows that 75 lives were rescued from various flood disasters. However, one life was lost to floods at Angwan Hakimi, Orozo, in Abuja Municipal Area Council.”
“105 persons were rescued from building collapse and there were four fatalities .We had incidents at the Prince and Princess estate, Guzape District , Garki 2, Kubwa, and Sabon Lugbe along the Airport Road.
“Fire outbreaks; 1,230 persons were rescued from various incidents, no life was lost. Some of the incidents occurred at Old Karu market, a fitness centre at Gwarinpa, and residential fires,” he said.
PREMIUM TIMES had reported the death of some residents following the collapse of a building because the owners used inferior building materials.
Mr Mohammed called on Abuja residents to adhere to building codes to prevent danger associated with building collapse.
Deployment of technology
The DG said the agency is planning to fully deploy technology next year to enhance its risk assessment management and monitoring capabilities the federal capital.
He said these include integration of technologies using lower orbit satellites to track real images and analytical data to enhance risk assessment and monitoring capabilities.
Mr Mohammed explained that the initiative will enhance efficiency, effectiveness and the decision to reduce delays in discharging their duties.
He said the agency relied on the early warning given by the Nigeria Meteorological Agency to educate the residents and also to mitigate the risks.
Poor funding
Mr Mohammed lamented that the agency under his watch is underfunded, adding that this affected its capacity to tackle risks identified before they happen in accordance with its mandate.
‘’Major challenges hampering our activities are obsolete equipment, limited office space, security issues on the field, and inadequate funding,’’ he added.
Strategic partnerships
Despite the poor funding of the agency, Mr Mohammed stated that it has entered into a partnership with the National Space Research and Development Agency (NARSDA) to enhance its operational capacity.
He said the partnership would facilitate geospatial data sharing, early warning systems, and advanced risk assessments.
He added that FEMD has also entered into collaborations with the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Ufuk Dialogue Foundation to expand the agetechnological capabilities and build a more resilient emergency management system.
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