The Adamawa State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting lives and property through improved disaster risk reduction measures, strengthened early warning systems and enhanced emergency response capacity across the state.
The Deputy Governor, Prof. Kaletapwa George Farauta, stated this on Thursday during the flag-off of the Full-Scale Flood Disaster Response Simulation Exercise (SIMEX) at Bakin Kogi, Limawa Ward, Yola North Local Government Area.
Farauta urged participants to take the exercise seriously, describing it as an opportunity to improve coordination, strengthen preparedness and enhance operational readiness in responding to flood emergencies.
She also called on residents of flood-prone communities to pay close attention to early warnings and advisories issued by relevant authorities and cooperate with emergency responders when necessary.
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The Deputy Governor commended the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Adamawa State Emergency Management Agency (ADSEMA), United Nations agencies, security agencies, humanitarian partners and other stakeholders for their continued efforts to strengthen the state's preparedness and response to flood emergencies.
Speaking at the event, the Director-General of NEMA, Mrs Zubaida Umar, represented by the Director of Search and Rescue, Air Commodore Bature Usman, said the annual release of water from the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon had the potential to affect 12 frontline states in Nigeria, with Adamawa among the states at risk.
She further disclosed that Adamawa was among the 31 states identified as being at high risk of flooding in the 2026 Seasonal Climate Prediction issued by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and the Annual Flood Outlook.
According to her, the simulation exercise was designed not only to test existing plans, procedures and response protocols but also to identify gaps, generate lessons and strengthen inter-agency collaboration and interoperability in disaster response.
Umar urged participants to approach the exercise with professionalism, commitment and a learning mindset, noting that this would help identify areas requiring improvement, validate response arrangements and ensure that lessons learnt were incorporated into future plans, policies and operational responses.
The highlight of the exercise was a practical demonstration of search-and-rescue operations involving the rescue of simulated flood victims and their subsequent evacuation to a safer location by emergency responders.
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The exercise is expected to further strengthen coordination among emergency management agencies, security organisations, humanitarian partners and communities in preparing for and responding effectively to potential flood disasters in Adamawa State.
