Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), in collaboration with the Cross River State Emergency Management Agency (CR-SEMA), has commenced a full-scale Simulation Exercise (SIMEX) in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, as part of the 2026 National Disaster Preparedness and Response Campaign. The three-day exercise, code-named "Ex Ndiyang Uwem," was flagged off on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, at Marina Beach, Calabar, by Governor Bassey Otu, represented by the CR-SEMA Director-General, Mr. Efa Nyong. The exercise brings together emergency response agencies and other critical stakeholders to assess the country's preparedness, strengthen inter-agency coordination and enhance response capacity for real-life emergencies, particularly flooding, which remains Nigeria's most frequent natural disaster.
The exercise follows a strategic stakeholders' meeting convened on July 21, 2026, which brought together security agencies, emergency responders, humanitarian organisations, government institutions and development partners to fine-tune operational plans. Speaking during the flag-off, Governor Otu described the exercise as timely and impactful, noting that it demonstrated the growing capacity of NEMA and CR-SEMA to coordinate effective emergency response operations ahead of the peak of the 2026 flood season. "This exercise is timely because effective disaster management depends on preparedness rather than responding only after emergencies occur," he said, urging participants to strengthen partnerships, exchange experiences and adopt best practices for faster, coordinated responses that protect lives, livelihoods and critical infrastructure.
The Director-General of NEMA, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, represented by Air Commodore Bature Usman, Director of Search and Rescue (DSAR) in NEMA, said the simulation was vital to Nigeria's disaster preparedness strategy and operational readiness. She noted that the exercise would test emergency response systems, improve collaboration among agencies and identify operational gaps before the peak rainy season. "Flooding remains Nigeria's most frequent natural disaster, requiring sustained preparedness, planning and regular simulation exercises to minimise risks," she emphasised. Similarly, Mr. Labaran Ahman, NEMA's Assistant Director of Operations, presented a paper on flood search, rescue and evacuation safety using practical demonstrations by professional divers, stressing adherence to international rescue protocols and the importance of responders' safety during emergency operations.
The exercise was designed to evaluate the operational readiness of emergency response agencies, validate existing contingency and response plans, clarify the roles of participating institutions and strengthen coordination before actual emergencies occur. Participants rehearsed evacuation procedures, search and rescue operations, incident command coordination, temporary shelter management and the safe relocation of vulnerable persons, including consideration for domestic animals where necessary. Approximately seventy participants drawn from various emergency management institutions across the country took part in the exercise, comprising two days of intensive training and rehearsals before the final field simulation.
The exercise received support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the World Bank. Participants were drawn from all security agencies, relevant ministries and parastatals, Local Emergency Management Committees (LEMCs), civil society organisations, the Nigerian Red Cross Society, community volunteers and local divers. They also received presentations on the 2026 Seasonal Climate Prediction and Annual Flood Outlook, alongside panel discussions involving the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) and other technical experts.
The Assistant Director of Operations, NEMA Headquarters, Abuja, Mr. Labaran Ahman, explained that the exercise was initiated following the 2026 Seasonal Climate Prediction by NiMet and the Annual Flood Outlook released by NIHSA, both of which identified several communities as being vulnerable to flooding. The exercise began at the community level with the active participation of local divers, community volunteers, the Nigerian Red Cross Society and other emergency responders to ensure a realistic simulation of flood response operations. Governor Otu reaffirmed his administration's commitment to deepening collaboration with NEMA and other humanitarian partners to build resilient communities across Cross River State. He disclosed that the state government, through CR-SEMA, is making arrangements to establish additional temporary shelters in vulnerable communities to accommodate displaced persons during emergencies. The CR-SEMA Director General, Mr. Efa Nyong, described collaboration as the foundation of effective emergency management, noting that no single agency can successfully respond to disasters in isolation.
The exercise also helped identify operational gaps, improve institutional coordination and strengthen Nigeria's overall emergency preparedness architecture. The representative of the Office of the State Security Adviser, Mr. Kanu Irigha, emphasised the importance of involving his office in future emergency management activities to enhance security coordination before, during and after disaster response operations. The simulation exercise marked the climax of a three-day programme that brought together emergency response agencies, security organisations, humanitarian partners, Local Emergency Management Committees (LEMCs), development partners and community volunteers in a practical demonstration of search and rescue, evacuation, first aid and relief distribution operations designed to strengthen emergency preparedness following flood forecasts by NiMet. As the peak of the 2026 rainy season approaches, the lessons learnt from the simulation are expected to contribute significantly to protecting lives and property across Cross River State and beyond.
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