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Tag: NEMA

  • 6,672 Nigerians voluntarily returned from Libya in 2017 – NEMA

    6,672 Nigerians voluntarily returned from Libya in 2017 – NEMA

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on Friday said a total of 6,672 Nigerians voluntarily returned from Libya from Jan. 6 to Dec. 28, 2017.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Director General of NEMA, Alhaji Mustapha Maihajja, made this known while receiving a fresh batch of 257 Nigerians who arrived from Libya.

    Maihajja lauded the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) for their efforts at continuing the repatriation exercise even during the festive season.

    The DG who was represented by the Southwest Coordinator of NEMA, Alhaji Suleiman Yakubu, enjoined the returnees to join hands with various government agencies to tackle the problem of human trafficking in the country.

    He said they should assist the government in identifying the traffickers who had lured and deceived many young Nigerians to embark on the perilous journey with the promise of taking them to Europe.

    Maihajja assured them that government would treat all information with utmost confidentiality and secrecy needed.

    The DG also allayed their fears of facing “spiritual “consequences for exposing these evil persons, stressing that they had a duty to educate the public on what they went through in the volatile North African country.

    NAN reports that the new returnees arrived the Cargo Wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos at 6.05pm aboard an Afriqiyah Airbus A330-300 with Registration number 5A-OMR.

    They comprised 152 adult females, 82 adult males, nine children and 14 infants, with one having a medical case.

    The returnees arrived barely 24 hours after another batch of 157 Nigerians landed in the country from Libya where they had been stranded enroute Europe.

     

    NAN

     

  • NEMA, FRSC inaugurates ‘Operation Eagle Eye’ operation in Kano

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in conjunction with Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) on Saturday in Kano flagged off ‘Operation Eagle Eye’operation to handle road emergencies.

    The operation was an initiative of NEMA in collaboration with the lead Agency, FRSC with assistance and support of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) and the Nigeria Red Cross Society.

    Speaking at the occasion, the NEMA Kano Head of operations, Malam Nura Abdullahi said the exercise was aimed at rescue activities and strict enforcement of traffic rules and regulations as part of measures to enlighten road users during and after the yuletide.

    According to him, the main objective of the exercise was also to sensitize motorists, road unions, passengers and the public to adhere to traffic rules and regulations.

    He said the initiative was also aimed at complementing other stakeholders especially the Federal Road Safety Corps in tackling road accidents in the country.

    He said NEMA officers and stakeholders that included FRSC, NSCDC and NRCS would be stationed in strategic places to monitor and ensure non reckless driving, sensitize drivers to be moderate on their speed limit and avoid drunken behaviour.

    During the flag-off campaign, leaflets on safe driving were distributed to drivers along the ever-busy Kano-Zaria road.

  • 1,317 Nigerians voluntarily return from Libya in 10 days – NEMA

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) says a total of 1,317 Nigerians have voluntarily returned from Libya in the last 10 days having been stranded in the volatile country enroute Europe.

    The Director-General of NEMA, Mustapha Maihajja, made the disclosure while receiving a fresh batch of 116 Nigerians who arrived the country on Friday morning.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the new set of returnees arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos aboard a Buraq Airlines with Registration Number 5A-WAC at about 5.39 a.m.

    NAN reports that no fewer than 3,000 Nigerians have voluntarily returned from Libya through the IOM supported programme in the last few months.

    Mr. Maihajja, represented by Suleiman Yakubu, the South-West Zonal Coordinator, said the Nigerians returned in various batches between Dec.5 and Dec.15 with the assistance of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the European Union (EU).

    According to him, the figure has already surpassed the 1, 295 Nigerians who voluntarily returned from Libya in the month of November.

    Mr. Maihajja said that the Federal Government would continue to work with the international organisations to ensure the return of more Nigerians from Libya where they had been facing severe hardships and rights violations.

    They comprised 46 adult females, 60 adult males and 10 children and infants respectively.

    Also, on ground to welcome the returnees were officials of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and Police.

     

    NAN

  • NEMA boss lauds Libya returnees for courage to face fresh start

    Alhaji Mustapha Maihajja, Director General, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has commended Nigerians who voluntarily returned from Libya for their courage to face a fresh start in the country.

    TheNewsGuru reports that Maihajja made the commendation on Tuesday while receiving 245 more Nigerians who voluntarily returned from the volatile North African country.

    Maihajja, who was represented by Southwest Zonal Coordinator of the agency, Alhaji Suleiman Yakubu, noted that some others were still stuck in Libya for lack of courage to face a new beginning in Nigeria.

    He said many of them had refused to return due to shame and fear of meeting their mates at home who might have succeeded in their endeavours.

    ” It takes courage for you to return home. Nigeria is changing fast.

    “The Federal government is making everything possible to ensure that every Nigerian will be proud of being a Nigerian.

    ” All the government is expecting from you is to have faith in God and your leaders and discharge your civic responsibilities,” he said.

    One of the returnees, Endurance Omeyo from Uromi in Edo State, said he went to Libya in 2016, and unfortunately came back with one of his legs amputated.

    He said :” I come from a very poor home. I lost my father about 12 years ago and only my mother was left to be facing the stress.

    “That is why I went to Libya to cross the sea and go to Italy, but unfortunately, I couldn’t make it as we were arrested while on the sea.

    “We were 160 people on that boat but 110 died and only 50 of us survived. They now took us back to prison in Libya. ”

    According to him, he spent over a month in captivity before a friend from Italy sent him N250, 000 which he used to buy his freedom from his captors.

    The 28-year-old said a few weeks after, he was shot while in company of two friends which led to the amputation of his leg.

    “I spent months in the hospital, until my mother went to borrow N400, 000 which was used to perform three surgeries on me and that is why I am alive today, ” he said.

    TNG reports that the returnees arrived at the Cargo Wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos aboard an Afriqiyah Airbus 330-300 aircraft with Registration Number 5A-ONR at about 8:25pm.

    They were assisted back to Nigeria by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the European Union (EU) after expressing interest to leave Libya where they had been stranded enroute Europe.

    They comprised 66 adult females, 74 adult males, four children and six infants.

    The returnees were also received by officials of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) , the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).

    As at the time of filing this report, another batch of Nigerians was being expected from Libya, as their aircraft was said to be on the way from Tripoli

  • 1,295 Nigerians returned from Libya in November – NEMA

    1,295 Nigerians returned from Libya in November – NEMA

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) says a total of 1,295 Nigerians voluntarily returned from Libya in November after being stranded in the volatile North African country enroute Europe.

    The Nigerians returned in various batches between Nov. 6 and Nov. 30 with the assistance of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the European Union (EU).

    The Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Alhaji Mustapha Maihajja, made the disclosure while receiving a fresh batch of 150 Nigerians who arrived the country on Thursday.

    The returnees were brought back aboard a Boeing 737-800 aircraft with Registration Number:6A-DMG.

    The aircraft landed in the Cargo Wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos at about 9.15pm.

    The returnees comprised of 13 female adults and one teenage girl while the male were 133 adults, two teenage boys and one baby boy.

     

    NAN

  • 1,295 Nigerians returned from Libya in November – NEMA

    1,295 Nigerians returned from Libya in November – NEMA

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) says a total of 1,295 Nigerians voluntarily returned from Libya in November after being stranded in the volatile North African country enroute Europe.

    The Nigerians returned in various batches between Nov. 6 and Nov. 30 with the assistance of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the European Union (EU).

    The Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Alhaji Mustapha Maihajja, made the disclosure while receiving a fresh batch of 150 Nigerians who arrived the country on Thursday.

    The NewsGuru reports that the returnees were brought back aboard a Boeing 737-800 aircraft with Registration Number:6A-DMG.

    The aircraft landed at the Cargo Wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos at about 9.15pm.

    The returnees comprised of 13 female adults and one teenage girl while the male were 133 adults, two teenage boys and one baby boy.

    They were received on behalf of Maihajja by the South West Zonal coordinator of NEMA, Alhaji Suleiman Yakubu .

    Also on ground to welcome the returnees back home were officials of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) , the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Police.

  • Unpaid allowances: NEMA staff embark on indefinite strike nationwide

    The Association of Senior Civil Servant of Nigeria (ASCSN) and Nigeria Civil Service Union (NCSU) of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Unit, on Thursday embarked on a nationwide three-day warning strike.

    Some that staff of the agency in Abuja, Minna, Lagos among others were seen with placard with inscription such as “Mustapha Maihaja must go”, “Mustapha we are tired of aluta, pay our claims or resign, enough is enough.”

    Others read: “No hazard allowance, no life assurance cover”, “Who will die next”, “No promotion exercise”, “Give us training it is statutory”, “Maihaja is an electrician, we are humanitarian”.

    Mr Saad Bello Chairman, Association of Senior Civil Servants, NEMA branch told newsmen in Abuja that the staff members are embarking on a peaceful protest nationwide.

    He noted that the union embarked on the warning strike over failure of the management to adhere to public service rules.

    He said the union was also agitating for better welfare and the resignation of its Director-General, Engr. Mustapha Maihaja.

    According to him, Maihaja has failed to live to expectations and had failed to implement the recently signed agreement with the union, which was chaired by Dr Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Employment.

    He said that the three-day nationwide warning strike commenced from Thursday will end on Monday, adding that if the management fails to meet their demands, indefinite industrial action would be declared.

    He listed the staff demands to include unpaid allowances, failure to renewed life assurance policy, lack of capacity building for staff amongst others.

    Bello said that the members of staff have also called for resignation of Maihaja as he has shown that he does not have adequate capacity and knowledge on how to run a humanitarian agency.

    “We are here to fight for our rights and implementation of the agreement reached between NEMA management and the Association of Senior Civil Servants in Nigeria, with the Ministry of Labour and Employment as witness.

    “We have a lot of issues that are bothering the minds of the workers of this agency and we have tried to approach the management but they became adamant.

    “We gave them the first twenty-one days notice to no avail, fourteen days notice to no avail, seven days warning to no avail until the Minister called us to a roundtable to discuss the issues that were raised.

    “Agreements were reached, with the management of NEMA and the Ministry of Labour and Employment signed, the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria and the NEMA unit of the Association equally signed the agreement.

    “This agreement bothers on the lots of liabilities of staff welfare, DTA, overtime, transfer allowances that had not been implemented and the agreement specified that it should be concluded within three weeks.

    “Three weeks had elapsed, nothing has been done about it and we cannot have a vibrant agency without capacity building”, Bello said.

    The Union Leader said that the entitlements of members of staff, who died from 2016 till date, have also not been paid for lack of life insurance policy.

    Bello said that another issue brought for discussion was the posting of some staff posted out of the headquarters because they clamoured for justice from management, and the Ministry agreed that they should be returned but nothing had been done.

    He said that if Maihaja feels he cannot implement the agreement, he should step aside for a new and capable person to take over the helm of affairs of the agency.

    He said that the Federal Government has been very supportive as the Minister of Labour championed the reconciliation meeting.

    He called for further intervention from the Federal government on the activities of the agency as a key humanitarian agency.

    Other members of the Union said that they were no longer opened for dialogue but calling for the implementation of the signed agreement and demands.

    All efforts to reach Maihaja at the time of the report were not successful as he sent a text that he was attending a National Council Meeting.

    Maihaja resumed duty as NEMA DG on April 21.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the management of the agency is yet to respond to the strike action embarked upon by the workers.

     

    Details later…

  • Flooding: FG begins process to develop navigation channel on River Niger – Minister

    Flooding: FG begins process to develop navigation channel on River Niger – Minister

    The Minister of Water Resources, Mr Suleiman Adamu, has said that the Federal Government has begun processes for promoting a proper channel for navigation and irrigation on the River Niger.

    The minister made the disclosure in Abuja on Tuesday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria.

    Adamu said that the project would be executed in partnership with the Hungarian Government to seek ways to introduce river training toward protecting the river banks and flood plains.

    He said although this step was a huge infrastructure project that would take time, the ministry had commenced negotiations with the Hungarian experts.

    ‘‘Talking about flash flooding, rivers Niger and Benue are very long rivers.

    ‘‘We are having floods all the time but the good news is what we are discussing with some foreign experts to look at the entire stretch of the River Niger, downstream Jebba and upstream of it, around Kebbi side to introduce river training.

    ‘‘We are doing this so that we can protect the banks of the river and all the flood plains, and we will be able to farm without any serious problem.

    ‘‘This is a huge infrastructure project that will take years; the study alone and design are going to take one year.

    ‘‘We are still discussing, hopefully we will soon round up our negotiation with the Hungarian experts,’’ the minister said.

    Adamu said the ministry would seek funding for the project in partnership with the private sector and stressed that Nigeria ought to have proper areas for irrigation without being devastated by flooding.

    In 2012, Nigeria suffered unimaginable loss to flood disasters that affected 30 states during which some 366 people died and 2.1 million people displaced.

    The flood, termed the worst in 40 years, affected an estimated 7.1 million people and caused losses worth N2.3 trillion, according to National Emergency Management Agency.

     

  • 1,268 Nigerians voluntarily returned from Libya in 5 months — NEMA

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said 1,268 Nigerians had voluntarily returned from Libya from December 15, 2016 to May 16, 2017.

    Alhaji Mustapha Maihaja, the Director General, NEMA, made the disclosure while receiving a fresh batch of 258 Nigerians who arrived on Tuesday in Lagos.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the returnees arrived the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, aboard a chartered Libya Airlines Airbus A330-200 with registration number 5A-LAU at about 8:30pm.

    They were received at the Hajj Camp area of the airport by officers of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) , the National Agency for the Protection of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and the Police.

    Also on ground to receive them were officials of NEMA, the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).

    Maihaja, who was represented by Dr Onimode Bandele, the Deputy Director, Search and Rescue, said the fresh returnees came along with 20 children and infants.

    He said the returnees were brought back by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the Nigerian Embassy in Libya.

    According to him, another batch of Nigerians is expected back on May 25, and the exercise will continue as long as those stranded in Libya are willing to return home.

    “Since December 2016, we have been able to bring back 1,268 Nigerians and the exercise will continue in collaboration with the IOM

    “The Federal Government is collaborating with the various state governments to rehabilitate and reintegrate the returnees, ” he said.

    Also speaking, Ms Julia Burpee, Public Information Officer, IOM, said the organisation had facilitated the return of over 7,000 Nigerians from various countries in the past 16 years.

    She said the organisation would assist the returnees to get back on their feet and would provide assistance to others willing to leave the North African country.

     

     

    NAN

     

  • Another batch of 250 Nigerians return from Libya Thursday – NEMA

    The National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, on Wednesday said another batch of 250 Nigerians would voluntarily return to the country from Libya on Thursday.|

    NEMA’s spokesman for South-West Zone, Mr. Ibrahim Farinloye, told the newsmen in Lagos that the returnees were expected to arrive at the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company/Hajj Camp section of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, at about 3.00pm.

    More than 253 Nigerians had on April 25 voluntarily returned from Libya aboard a chartered Libya Airlines — Airbus A330-200 — with registration no. 5A-LAT.

    The returnees comprise 102 males, 140 females and 11 children.

    They were brought back by the International Organisation for Migration and the Nigerian Embassy in Libya.

    The returnees were received at the Hajj Camp of the airport by officers of the Nigerian Immigration Service, the National Agency for the Protection of Trafficking in Persons and the Police.

    Also on the ground to receive them were officials of NEMA and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that hundreds of Nigerians have been forced out of Libya in recent times against the backdrop of hostile treatment meted out to blacks by Libyan citizens and the authorities.

    Senior Special Adviser to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, had said that the Federal Government valued their lives, hence the partnership with IOM and NEMA to ensure their safe return.

     

     

    NAN