In the current year, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has prevented 4,880 lives from being lost and N99.3 million worth of property from being damaged, the Acting Director General, Ambassador Ibrahim Mohammed Sabo.

He made this known during a media event on Tuesday at the FEMA Conference Hall in Abuja.

According to Sabo, in 2023, the Agency prevented 2,864 deaths from flooding in the FCT, 1,842 deaths from fire incidents, and 174 deaths from building collapses.

In the preceding nine months, only a total of eight lives had been lost to building accidents, he continued, adding that the Agency had prevented the breakout of properties worth N99.3 million from fires.

He hinted: “Our major responsibility is saving lives and property of FCT residents, and with the full support, we are having from the FCT Administration. We have been able to save about 1,842 lives, that’s in all fire incidents that occurred within the FCT, and no life was lost completely. And we have been able to save properties worth about N99.3 million, that is on fire outbreaks.

“Regarding building collapse, we have been able to save 174 lives. We lost four unfortunately, during the building collapse. And in the case of flooding, in total, we have been able to save 2,864 lives”.

The FEMA boss lamented the loss of lives to flood incidents, noting that in most cases, the death of the victims were avoidable.

“We have lost four unfortunately to flooding. Most of these lives that were lost to flooding, a lot in essence, are avoidable. In most of these flood-prone areas, we have barricades, and we normally place a sign there, warning people about the issue of fooding in that area. And we have our vanguards that are stationed there 24 hours”.

Sabo stated that the FCT Minister had constituted a committee to ensure the prevention of fire incidents, adding that anyone found culpable in any disaster will be charged to court.

Meanwhile FEMA Director, Forecasting Response and Mitigation, Florence Wenegieme, however, urged residents to adhere to warnings by the Agency regarding disasters and obey the marshals and instructions on dos and don’ts during emergencies.