As part of strategic goals for disaster risk reduction, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) is collaborating with operational stakeholders in crime prevention and disaster management to curtail tragedy and provide maximum security during the crucial Ember month when most Nigerians travel for religious and traditional festivities.
Addressing a meeting of the stakeholders in his office at the weekend, the Director General of NEMA, AVM Mohammed Audu-Bida (Rtd), urged them to come out with workable solutions to reduce traffic congestion, breakdown vehicles and armed robbery in the major highways during the Ember month.
The joint operation involved the active participation of Nigeria Police Force, Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Fire Service, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Federal Ministry of Health, Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) and Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO) and Red Cross.
While commending the stakeholders for their impressive level of preparedness for the joint exercise which is tagged Operation Eagle Eye, Audu-Bida, tasked them to mount intensive surveillance not only at the popular prone areas but also monitor closely suspicious individuals and organisations to avert crises in our communities.
The Director General commended the effort of the Federal and some state governments in providing necessary logistics to some of the agencies in combating crimes in our communities. He noted that one of the strategic goals in disaster risk reduction is establishment and strengthening institutions and their capacities to reduce disaster while integrating risk reduction into emergency preparedness, response and recovery.
Most of the stakeholders at the meeting indicated their readiness to combat crimes and accidents during the period considering the supports rendered by Federal Government through provision of operational equipment and vehicles to respective agencies.
