SEMA ACTIVITIES IN NORTHERN NIGERIA — 2026
17 SEPTEMBER 2026 — ALFIJIR LABARAI
Last week, Alfijir Labarai began examining the role of State Emergency Management Agencies (SEMAs) in preparing for and responding to disasters across Northern Nigeria.
This week, our investigation goes a step further.
The central question is:
After a disaster warning is issued, does that warning translate into concrete action on the ground?
2026 FLOOD RISK: ARE WARNINGS REACHING COMMUNITIES?
Data from NEMA and NIHSA indicate that thousands of communities across Northern Nigeria and other parts of the country face varying levels of flood risk in 2026.
For this reason, the responsibility of SEMAs should go beyond simply informing the public that flooding may occur.
Agencies are expected to identify vulnerable communities, raise public awareness, establish early-warning systems, prepare emergency supplies and develop evacuation plans where necessary.
Our investigation therefore asks:
Are these preparations actually in place, or do warnings sometimes remain limited to official statements and public announcements?
KANO: TIGA DAM UNDER INCREASED WATCH
Earlier in September, NEMA led a team to Tiga Dam following increased water inflow that resulted in the automatic release of water from the dam.
NEMA, KSEMA and the Nigerian Red Cross assessed the situation and considered the potential risks to communities downstream.
The development highlights the importance of early warning and preparedness before rising water levels become a direct threat to communities.
But our question remains:
If the situation worsens, what practical arrangements are in place to warn and evacuate vulnerable communities?
JIGAWA: FROM DISASTER TO RELIEF
In Jigawa, NEMA, in collaboration with Jigawa SEMA, distributed relief materials to victims of windstorms in Babura, Birnin Kudu and Gwaram on 8 and 9 September.
The assistance included food and other emergency relief items.
This represents the post-disaster response stage — what happens after a disaster has already occurred.
But our investigation will not stop at the question of whether relief materials were distributed.
We will examine:
When did the relief arrive?
Who received it?
How were affected households identified?
And was the assistance proportionate to the scale of the damage?
KANO: THE HUMAN IMPACT OF STORMS
In Kano, SEMA data indicate that thousands of people were affected by rainstorms and windstorms in 2026, with fatalities and injuries recorded in several local government areas.
This demonstrates that the disaster-management challenge extends beyond flooding.
Windstorms, building collapses, fires and other emergencies also require effective preparedness, response and rescue systems.
Our investigation will therefore examine whether emergency agencies have specific response plans for different types of disasters, or whether action mainly begins after an emergency has already occurred.
KEBBI: STRENGTHENING COMMUNITY-LEVEL EARLY WARNING
In Kebbi, flood preparedness has also received attention through the training of community members from several local government areas on emergency response, alongside the provision of water-level monitoring equipment.
Such initiatives can bring early-warning mechanisms closer to vulnerable communities.
However, an important question remains:
Can information from these systems reach the relevant authorities and communities quickly enough for preventive action to be taken?
A NEW EXAMPLE: FLOOD RESCUE SIMULATION IN BENUE
On 15 and 16 September 2026, NEMA and Benue SEMA conducted a flood disaster response simulation exercise.
The exercise was designed to test how emergency agencies and rescue personnel would coordinate their response during a flood emergency.
It was conducted with support from partners including UNDP, UNICEF and the World Bank.
The exercise raises an important issue for our investigation:
Are emergency agencies testing their preparedness before disasters occur, or are weaknesses in the system only discovered when a real disaster happens?
FROM WARNING TO ACTION
Alfijir Labarai will follow the disaster-management chain from beginning to end:
Warning → Preparedness → Prevention → Rescue → Relief → Recovery
At every stage, we will ask:
Was there adequate preparation?
Did communities receive the necessary information?
Were rescue and relief materials available?
Were rescue personnel properly prepared?
Were evacuation arrangements in place?
Did assistance reach affected communities on time?
And after the disaster, what was done to reduce the risk of a similar disaster happening again?
THE STATES ALFIJIR LABARAI WILL FOLLOW
Our investigation will continue to track emergency-management activities across:
Kano • Jigawa • Katsina • Kaduna • Sokoto • Kebbi • Zamfara • Bauchi • Gombe • Yobe • Borno • Adamawa • Taraba • Niger • Nasarawa • Plateau
We will monitor:
• Disaster preparedness.
• Early-warning systems.
• Rescue and evacuation operations.
• Availability of emergency equipment and relief materials.
• Number of people affected.
• Deaths and injuries.
• Homes and public infrastructure damaged.
• Government relief interventions.
• Conditions of displaced persons.
• Cooperation between SEMA and NEMA.
• And what authorities do after disasters to reduce future risks.
THE CENTRAL QUESTION
If a major flood or other disaster occurs today, are emergency-management agencies across Northern Nigeria sufficiently prepared to protect lives and property?
This is the question Alfijir Labarai will continue to investigate through official records, statements from emergency agencies, available data and developments within affected communities.
🆘 SEMA ACTIVITIES IN NORTHERN NIGERIA — 2026
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