Flood: FG releases relief materials for victims in Anambra

The Federal Government FG has released relief materials mainly food and non food items to flood victims in Anambra State.

An Assistant Director in charge of Response and Rehabilitation, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Walson Ibarakumo, said this after a closed-door meeting with officials of Anambra Government in Awka on Thursday.

Ibarakumo said the non food items had arrived but the food items were yet to arrive in Anambra due to the traffic challenges caused by flooding in the confluence town of Lokoja, Kogi State.

The NEMA official and his team were received by Dr Onyekachukwu Ibezim, Deputy Governor of Anambra and Chief Paul Odenigbo, the Executive Secretary of Anambra State Emergency Management Agency.

He said the food consignment had been trapped on the Lokoja axis where flood had rendered the road impassable to vehicular traffic.

He said the food items meant to Anambra were 1,400 (10kg) bags of rice, 1,400 (10kg) bags of beans, 1,400 (10kg) maize, 75 (20kg) of salt, 75 (20 ltr) vegetable oil, 1,000 cartons of seasoning and 75 cartons of tin tomatoes.

The non food items included 7,350 nylon mats, 1,000 treated mosquito nets, 600 cartons of bath soap, 2,500 Guinea brocades (5yrds) and 1,000 units of each of children, women and men’s wear.

Ibarakumo commended the Anambra government for their efforts so far in the response, rescue and intervention operations while expressing hope that the trapped materials would reach the state soon.

On his part, Ibezim thanked the FG for the support but expressed regrets over the devastating impact of the flood on Anambra.

Ibezim said the number of affected local government areas had increased from five to seven with addition of Ihiala and Ekwusigo.

He said new challenges were emerging each new day due to rising water levels and that the government was still busy with containing the disaster which overstretched their preparations.

The Deputy Governor said efforts were being made to provide minimal comfort to victims and that every item meant to cushion their pains would be diligently distributed.…

Eid-El-Kabir: IGP promises security as FRSC, NEMA mobilise men

Ahead of the Eid-el Kabir celebration, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba, has vowed to sustain efforts at improving public security and safety across the country.

The IGP gave the assurance while directing Commissioners of Police (CPs) in all the states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and their supervisory Assistant Inspectors General of Police (AIGs), to beef up security to prevent lapses in their Areas of Responsibility (AoR) throughout the Eid-el-Kabir season and beyond.

The IGP particularly directed the zonal AIGs and state command CPs to put in place all necessary security measures to ensure an incident-free celebration.

Police spokesman, CP Frank Mba, said: “They are to, amongst other things, deploy human and other operational assets to carry out confidence-building and crime prevention patrols on major highways, residential and industrial areas, vulnerable points, places of worship, other places of public resort and around all critical national infrastructure.

“The IGP also warned that personnel deployed must be professional and mindful of the fundamental rights of the citizens, and discharge their responsibilities with all sense of decorum and alertness.”

Also, the National Emergency Management Authority (NEMA), in collaboration with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and other major stakeholders, has flagged off safety operations to reduce accidents on the highways during the celebration.

Other stakeholders to partner NEMA include the Red Cross, the Federal and State fire services, and the National Civil Defense Corps(NSCDC).

Flagging off the operation tagged ‘Operation Eagle Eye,’ with the theme, ‘Safe Eid El Kabir’ in Ado Ekiti, the Zonal Head, Ekiti Operations Office (Ekiti, Ondo, and Osun), Mr. Olusegun Afolayan, said the festive periods, always come with increase vehicular movements and more auto crashes. Meanwhile, the FRSC has deployed its men across the states to ensure a hitch-free Sallah celebration.

The Sector Commander of the Corps in Edo State, Henry Benamaisia, said it had deployed 1,250 personnel for a hitch-free Sallah celebration…