INTRODUCTION
The National Contingency Plan is a multi-hazard contingency plan with a focus on the hazards with the highest probability of occurrence and severity. These include flood, conflicts, drought and epidemics. The multi hazard scenario approach has been adopted to ensure the accommodation of forecasted hazards, as well as, those that have not been forecasted. This is in view of recent global happenings and climate change, which have made it difficult to ascertain the occurrence of disasters. While some of the effects of climate change are apparent as witnessed by extreme weather changes, and their impacts, it has been difficult to adequately model the complete range of changes to accurately anticipate its impacts for Nigeria. Though National and Regional weather agencies predicts that weather changes such as high temperatures and irregular rainfall patterns are likely. It should however, be anticipated, that the effects would vary from region to region. The multi-hazard contingency plan, therefore, is a first step towards mitigating the impact of quick onset disasters when the level of forecast cannot be ascertained.
Additionally, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) is mandated to coordinate disaster management in all its ramifications in the country. As such, it considers it more proficient to develop contingencies for emergencies from multi perspectives, including all kinds of disasters that can befall Nigeria. Furthermore, a multi-hazard contingency plan creates the platform to bring several humanitarian players together and acts as a framework for making contingency arrangements for disaster response. Relevant stakeholders can also use the National Contingency Plan as justification for organisational preparedness using the roles that have been assigned to them in the plan.
Finally, a multi-hazard contingency plan ensures that a wider range of response issues are covered. It acts as a link between National stakeholders and international humanitarian actors.
Background on Nigeria
Nigeria is a country with a landed area of about 923,768 sq km (356,669 sq miles). It has diverse climate and terrain, which ranges from the equatorial climate of the southern lowlands, through the tropical central hills and plateau, to the arid northern plains which mark the southernmost extent of the Sahara desert.
Two Major rivers run through Nigeria –Niger and Benue. The River Niger flows from the northwest through the country to its vast delta in the south, while River Benue has its source from the Cameroon Mountains and flows into the country from the east joining River Niger at Lokoja in Kogi State. Nigeria has borders with Niger to the North, Chad (across Lake Chad) to the Northeast, Cameroon to the East and Benin to the West. It is indented in the South by the Gulf of Guinea.
Fig 1: Map of Nigeria
Nigeria is Africa's most populous country. It has an official population of 140, 431,790 [Federal Republic of Nigeria Official Gazette, 2nd February, 2009]. It is divided into 36 states, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and 774 Local Government Areas (LGAs). Nigeria has over 250 ethnic groups, with English as the official language and three major indigenous languages (Yoruba, Ibo and Hausa).
Nigeria has rich natural resources that include oil and gas and solid minerals, with about 70% of the population engaged in agriculture.
According to the UNDP Humanitarian development Report (2008), the literacy rate in Nigeria is 69.1%, with a poverty rate of under $1.25 for 64.4% of the population and under $2 for 83.9%. The inequality rate in the country is one of the highest in the world (0.49), with 65% of assets in the hands of 20% of the Population while the remaining 80% of the population controls only 35%.
In view of the above, poverty accounts for the highest vulnerability factor for Nigeria, others are population growth and distribution; and the condition of human settlements and their infrastructure. Other causative factors include the level of environmental degradation, level of public awareness, the dynamics of public policy and environment on disaster management.
Disasters in Nigeria
Nigeria, like the rest of the world, is exposed to a wide range of natural or human-induced disasters. While some of these disasters are rapid, others are slow-onset, resulting in catastrophic situations leading to loss of lives and property, degradation of environment. These disasters occur in form of drought, desertification, flooding, epidemics, coastal erosion, dam failure, building collapse, oil spillage, maritime collision or accident, bomb explosion, communal clash, fire, air crashes and boat mishap, amongst others.
Historically, salient disasters in Nigeria include, the yearly epidemics such as cholera, measles and cerebro-spinal meningitis. There were droughts in the Sudan-Sahel zone of the country in 1972-74 and 1982-84. There were flood disasters in Ogunpa (Oyo State) in 1982; Lagos Bar Beach in 2001; Shiroro and Kaduna in 2003; Gombe in 2004; Jalingo in 2005; Sokoto, Kebbi, Lagos, Ogun and most part of the country in 2010. Others include, the 2008 landslide in Agwu LGA (Enugu state); and 2005, 2006 and 2009 landslide in Agwagune (Cross River State). Also, Nigeria experiences numerous ethnic, political and religious violent conflicts in Kaduna, Lagos, Kano, Plateau, Bauchi, Borno, Taraba, Benue, Delta, Anambra, Ondo, Osun, Ogun e.t.c.
In addition, there were technological disasters ranging from, the 2002 Ikeja bomb explosion (Lagos State), the Abuja bomb explosion of October 1st 2010; the 2002 West African Rubber Product Company fire in Ikorodu (Lagos State); the 1992 Hercules C-130 military air-crash at Itokin (Lagos State); the 2002 ADC air-crash at Ejirin (Lagos State); the EAS air-crash in Kano State; the 2005 Belleview air-crash in Lisa village (Ogun State); the 2005 Sosoliso air crash in Port harcourt (Rivers State); the ADC air crash in Abuja. Other technological disasters include the several pipeline explosions and vandalizing in the Niger Delta, and series of road traffic crashes among others.
Beyond these events, threats posed by frequent oil spills and irreparable damage to environmental and coastal biospheres, increasing levels of industrial pollution, waste and unprecedented climatic changes, and its negative consequences make Nigerians to be increasingly at risk to a wide number of new and emerging hazards.