The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Kano Operations Office, has commemorated the 2026 International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDRR) with an inter-school safety quiz competition aimed at promoting disaster preparedness and resilience among young people.
The event, held on Tuesday, featured a safety quiz competition between Sa’adatu Rimi College Staff School and Federal Government College, Kano, focusing on fire prevention, flood preparedness and road safety.
The commemoration brought together stakeholders from relevant government agencies and organisations involved in disaster management, including the Federal Fire Service, Kano State Fire Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Kano and Jigawa State Emergency Management Agencies, and the Nigerian Red Cross Society.
NEMA staff, school administrators, teachers, students, media representatives and other stakeholders also participated in the event.
The 2026 International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction was observed under the theme, “Resilience Starts at Home,” highlighting the importance of household safety, public awareness, responsible environmental practices and timely responses to early warnings in preventing disasters and reducing their impact.
NEMA reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening disaster preparedness, promoting community resilience and coordinating efforts to reduce disaster risks across Nigeria.
The agency emphasised that disaster risk reduction was a shared responsibility requiring sustained collaboration among government institutions, communities, the private sector and individuals.
It explained that the inter-school quiz competition provided students with an opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge of fire safety, flood preparedness and road safety while encouraging them to adopt safe practices in their schools, homes and communities.
The initiative was also designed to empower young people to become advocates for disaster risk reduction by sharing safety information and promoting preventive measures among their peers and family members.
The event further highlighted the importance of collaboration among emergency management agencies, educational institutions, families, community leaders and the media in raising public awareness, improving preparedness and building safer communities.
The commemoration ended with a renewed call on individuals, families, schools and relevant stakeholders to take practical steps towards disaster prevention and preparedness, in line with the theme, “Resilience Starts at Home.”
