3,500 lives saved from emergency evacuation in FCT in 2024

Launches “Operation Eagle Eye” to promote road safety during yuletide

From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja

The Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Department (FEMD) on Monday disclosed that it successfully rescued over 3,500 lives from various emergencies through 165 calls on its 112 emergency toll-free number.

Acting Director-General of FEMD, Abdulrahman Mohammed, made the disclosure while giving an overview of activities of the department in 2024 and projections for 2025.

He noted that emergency management must be a bottom-to-top approach involving traditional rulers and local government authorities. He added that it was this synergy that yielded positive results.

He mentioned that the major incidents included building collapse, fire outbreaks, flooding, earth tremor occurred at the Prince and Princess Estate, Guzape District, Garki 2, Kubwa, and Sabon Lugbe along the Airport Road.

Mohammed who reiterated the department’s commitment to enhancing disaster preparedness said: “A breakdown of the Search and Rescue activities in 2024 shows that 75 lives were rescued from various flood disasters. However, one life was lost to floods at Angwan Hakimi, Orozo, in Abuja Municipal Area Council. To mitigate the impact of the rains, on June 25th, we barricaded the slip road at the Galadimawa interchange; the road was reopened on November 17th 2024.

“105 persons were rescued from building collapse and there were four fatalities. We had incidences at the Prince and Princess estate, Guzape District , Garki 2, Kubwa, and Sabon Lugbe along the Airport Road.

“Fire outbreaks; 1,230 persons were rescued from various incidents. No life was lost. Some of the incidents occurred at Old Karu market, a fitness center at Gwarinpa, and residential fires.

“There was an attempted suicide on a mast atop Katampe Hill. Through the skillful intervention of FEMD officials and the police, the incident was prevented.

“FEMD responded to the wildly reported earth tremor in Mpape, Katampe, and some parts of Maitama Extension where over 2,000 residents were traumatized. Our report on the incident was submitted to the Honourable Minster of the FCT.

“On road crashes, 89 persons were rescued, while there were three fatalities”, he said.

The Ag. DG FEMD also disclosed the “Operation Eagle Eye” campaign has been officially launched in collaboration with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) to enhance road safety during the busy holiday season.

“We have also flagged off our ember month campaign in collaboration with the Federal Road Safety Corps. Tagged, Operation Eagle Eye, the campaign took us to Motor Parks in the FCT to sensitize commercial drivers on driving to stay safe and alive”, he added.

Looking ahead, Mohammed expressed intentions to leverage technology for disaster management improvements. “We plan to integrate lower orbit satellite technologies for real-time risk assessment and monitoring capabilities in the FCT. This will enhance our efficiency and decision-making processes while significantly reducing response times”, he stated.

He also indicated that FEMD aims to establish effective channels for information sharing and best practices while enhancing data storage solutions. “Our focus will be on risk assessment within the city center to better mitigate potential disasters,” he said.

Mohammed added that despite these successes, the department faced challenges such as inadequate funding and outdated equipment. “We need better resources to ensure we can respond effectively to emergencies”, he said.

The department has engaged local communities by establishing 600 Community Vanguards and training 300 local divers across the six Area Councils of the FCT. “We equally established Local Emergency Management Committees in the Area Councils for timely response to emergencies,” he added.

Looking ahead to 2025, FEMD plans to leverage technology for improved disaster management. Mohammed expressed optimism about future collaborations: “Our goal is to enhance efficiency and effectiveness in disaster response through real-time data monitoring and satellite-based risk assessments.”