The Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency (KADSEMA), in partnership with Christian Aid, has in a meeting validated data from a rapid multi-hazard mapping exercise across nine local government areas as the rainy season sets in.
The validation followed a 10-day field enumeration to confirm community-level observations, correct gaps, misclassifications, and prioritise high-risk hotspots for urgent intervention.
The meeting also endorsed the dataset for integration into the 2026 State Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan (SEPAP).
Dr Usman Mazadu, Executive Secretary of KADSEMA, said credible data remained central to effective disaster management.
“We cannot act without understanding the hazards we face. Validation ensures accuracy and supports evidence-based response.”
Mazadu said the exercise identified 178 hazards across the LGAs, drawing inputs from enumerators and 435 community information coordinators.
He added that the state had strengthened its disaster risk governance with the approval of a policy framework and related instruments to improve coordination and response.
According to him, proactive measures have been deployed in flood-prone areas including early warning systems, public sensitisation and establishment of safe-haven centres.
Mazadu said sustained interventions such as desilting, dredging and awareness campaigns had helped to reduce flood impact in recent years.
Tabat Baba, Programme Officer, Disaster Risk Reduction, Christian Aid Nigeria, said the exercise profiled vulnerabilities and capacities at the grassroots to enhance preparedness.
“The goal is to prepare communities ahead of the flood season using climate predictions and flood outlooks for 2026,” she said.
Baba noted that the mapping also captured risks related to conflict and insecurity, urging communities to take ownership of early warning systems and response plans.
Officials of participating local governments described the initiative as timely and pledged to cascade sensitisation and preparedness measures to their communities.
By Ezra Musa