A total of 1,793 lives were said to have been rescued from various disasters, including floods, fire incidences, and building collapses that occurred in the Federal Capital Territory in 2023.
The FCT Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), reports that this was made possible through its prompt response to the 24 calls made to its emergency toll-free number 112.
Acting Director General of FEMA, Ibrahim Sabo, at an end-of-year media parley, on Wednesday, said it also saved properties approximated at N90m and provided humanitarian aid that impacted 400 households.
A breakdown of the search and rescue activities showed that 1,373 people were rescued from various flood disasters, while 173 lives were saved from five building collapse distress calls, and 247 lives saved from major fire outbreaks, from five calls.
Sabo, said that 12 lives were, however, lost from the various disasters, including four from flood disasters, six from building collapse, and two to fire outbreaks.
“During the year under review 2023, FEMA saved 1793 lives through 24 calls on its 112-emergency toll-free number. 12 lives were, however, lost.
“A breakdown of the search and rescue activities in 2023 are 1373 lives rescued from various flood disasters; 4 lives were however lost. Building collapse: 173 lives saved from 5 calls, 6 lives lost. Major fire outbreaks: 247 lives saved from 5 calls through the 112 toll-free number. 2 lives lost.
“As of October, we were able to save N90m worth of properties across all types of disasters within the FCT, but I can’t give you the figures as of now. When the figures are available, I will let you know,” he added.
The Acting DG also disclosed that the agency in August, together with the National Economic Livelihood Emergency Intervention, the National Emergency Management Agency, and the Agricultural and Rural Development Secretariat, distributed food and non-food items across the 6 area councils of the FCT to 8403 beneficiaries in an exercise that lasted three Weeks.
“The total number of items distributed were as follows; 1000 yam seedlings, 2930 food items comprising rice, beans, maize, garri, guinea corn, groundnut oil, Maggi, salt etc; 544 non-food items comprising mattresses, blankets, mosquito nets, stoves, buckets, cooking pots; 1140 grinding machines; 1139 sewing machines; 1650 rice and maize seedlings,” he said.
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