The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has commenced a two-day flood-response simulation in Makurdi, Benue State, to test emergency agencies’ readiness and strengthen coordination ahead of possible flooding.
The exercise began on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, with stakeholders assessing operational roles, communication systems and procedures for managing flood emergencies.
NEMA Acting Zonal Director, North Central, Sulieman Mohammed, said the simulation would test how effectively early warnings translate into evacuation, rescue, relief and recovery operations.
He said the exercise would also assess warning dissemination, community response, activation of local emergency structures and mobilization of additional support.
Mohammed said the response framework would start at community level and progress through Local Emergency Management Committees and the Benue State Emergency Management Agency, with NEMA providing federal support where necessary.
He attributed Benue’s flood vulnerability to its extensive river systems and floodplains, seasonal rainfall and settlements and economic activities concentrated around the River Benue and its tributaries.
READ ALSO: NSEMA Raises Flood Alert Over Kangimi Dam Cracks
Mohammed said the exercise would help identify gaps in existing arrangements and strengthen collaboration among agencies involved in flood management.
The United Nations Development Programme Resident Representative in Nigeria, Elsie Attafuah, represented by Dr Sunday Amama, described the initiative as an opportunity to strengthen disaster preparedness and institutional coordination.
Attafuah reaffirmed UNDP’s commitment to supporting federal and state governments through technical assistance, policy advice, capacity development and strategic partnerships.
The Executive Secretary of the Benue State Emergency Management Agency, James Iorpuu, represented by the agency’s Head of Administration, Atii Samuel, said relevant stakeholders had been mobilized because of the state’s flood exposure.
The exercise builds on earlier flood-preparedness efforts in Benue, including NEMA and Benue-SEMA’s community sensitization and early-warning campaign in Makurdi in May 2026.
Benue has suffered major flooding in previous years, including the 2017 disaster, which displaced more than 100,000 people and destroyed thousands of houses, underscoring the need for effective preparedness and early response.