Nigeria To Commence Disaster Risk Awareness Campaign

The Nigerian government says it will start a disaster risk information awareness to inform the public on the consequences of illegal oil bunkering.

Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development Sadiya Umar Farouq said this when she visited Imo state to commiserate with the government on the explosion which occurred at Abaezi forest, on Saturday, 23rd April 2022.

The Minister who was represented by the Director, Reliefs and Rehabilitation in the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Mr Alhassan Nuhu said that government will implement risk strategies to create awareness on the consequences of illegal crude oil refining amongst the locals.

Umar Farouq further urged traditional rulers, religious Heads and community leaders to advocate against illicit bunkering of oil in the communities.

Earlier, the State Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Rabbi Ibrahim commended the Federal government for sending a delegation to visit the explosion site which claimed scores of lives.

“Most of the people who lost their lives in the explosion were farmers and hunters who were going about their normal businesses. It will be wrong to assume that all who died were illegal oil miners. However, NEMA has done their assessment of the incident and the visit by the Federal government delegation gives the people of Imo state a sense of belonging”.

Others members of the Federal government’s delegation include the Director of Search and Rescue, Air Commodore Edward Kolawole Adedokun, the Deputy Director Humanitarian Affairs in the Ministry Dr Abubakar Suleiman, officials of NEMA and the Ministry.