Yobe State, through its State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), has reaffirmed its commitment to disaster preparedness and risk reduction by actively participating in the recently concluded North West Flood Simulation Exercise (SIMEX), code-named Ceton Rayuka, held in Wudil, Kano State.
The week-long exercise brought together emergency management stakeholders from across the North West geo-political zone, including Kano, Jigawa, Katsina, and others. It aimed to assess regional readiness in the event of dam-release-induced flooding along the River Kano corridor, which flows downstream toward the Lake Chad Basin — directly impacting vulnerable communities in Yobe State.
Ceton Rayuka focused on enhancing inter-agency coordination, strengthening communication channels, and improving field-level response capacity. The exercise also served as a platform to equip local emergency responders with updated technical skills and operational knowledge to ensure swift, efficient, and life-saving action during flood emergencies.
With the Nigerian Meteorological Agency’s (NiMet) 2025 Seasonal Climate Prediction and the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency’s (NIHSA) Annual Flood Outlook identifying Kano, Jigawa, Sokoto, Kebbi, and Zamfara as high-risk flood states, Yobe’s active involvement underscores its proactive stance in disaster risk mitigation. As floodwaters originating in Kano and Jigawa flow toward Lake Chad, downstream states like Yobe remain particularly vulnerable — making preparedness a top priority.
Yobe SEMA expresses its sincere appreciation to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Kano State Government, and all collaborating partners for their continued dedication to strengthening regional disaster response and building community resilience across northern Nigeria.
