The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has activated its emergency response operations to provide quick responses to emergencies during the yuletide season and beyond.

The Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mrs. Zubaida Umar, disclosed this in Abuja on Saturday at the end of a fitness exercise by staff of the Agency.

The exercise, which featured a walk of about five kilometres, was aimed at promoting physical fitness, teamwork, and preparedness among staff in line with the Agency’s mandate as a frontline emergency coordination agency.

The DG, In a statement by the Spokesperson of the Agency, Manzo Ezekiel, explained that physical readiness was critical to effective emergency response, especially during periods of heightened human and vehicular activities.

She assured Nigerians that NEMA has activated its preparedness mechanisms nationwide and is working in close coordination with relevant stakeholders, including security agencies, emergency responders, and other critical agencies, to ensure rapid response to any emergency during the festive period.

Umar urged members of the public to remain safety-conscious throughout the celebrations, advising motorists to avoid speeding, adhere to traffic regulations, and exercise caution on the roads and waterways, at public gatherings, and in residential areas.

She further reaffirmed the Agency’s commitment to the protection of lives and property, emphasising that the Agency remains on standby across its zonal, territorial, and state operations offices to facilitate a timely response to emergencies that may arise during the yuletide season and in the days ahead.

The Director of Search and Rescue at NEMA, Air Commodore Bature Usman, explained that the fitness exercise was a routine activity designed to keep personnel physically and mentally prepared for emergency response operations at all times.

The exercise featured the participation of the Nigerian Armed Forces, the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC). (The Nation)