The National Emergency Management Agency has begun distributing relief materials to communities in Kebbi State devastated by recent banditry attacks, in a bid to stabilise survivors and prevent a deeper humanitarian crisis.

The intervention targets residents of Shanga, Yauri and Bunza Local Government Areas, where armed groups have carried out repeated assaults on villages, displacing families and disrupting livelihoods. The exercise was formally launched in Birnin Kebbi by NEMA Director-General Zubaida Umar, who led a federal delegation to the state.

Umar said the relief package followed a detailed needs assessment conducted in the affected communities, adding that the agency’s priority was to address urgent requirements such as food, shelter and basic household items. She described the operation as part of the Federal Government’s broader effort to cushion the impact of insecurity on vulnerable populations.

According to NEMA officials, the items being distributed include food staples, mattresses, blankets, clothing, mosquito nets and other essential supplies intended to support families who have lost homes, farms and sources of income. The agency said the materials were allocated based on the scale of displacement and the severity of damage recorded in each locality.

The flag-off ceremony drew traditional and government representatives, underscoring the collaboration between federal and state authorities. The Wazirin Gwandu, Alhaji Abubakar Umar, who represented the Emir of Gwandu, commended the intervention and urged continued support for communities living under the threat of banditry.

The Wife of the Kebbi State Governor, Hajiya Zainab Nasare Nasir, also attended the event and expressed concern over the trauma faced by survivors, particularly women and children. She said the relief materials would offer immediate succour but called for sustained security operations and long-term rehabilitation plans.

The distribution follows a series of violent incidents in Kebbi, including an attack on a mosque in the Dadinkowa community of Maiyama Local Government Area, where gunmen killed several worshippers and injured others during nighttime prayers. Police authorities confirmed the casualties and said security personnel had been deployed to restore calm and pursue the perpetrators.

NEMA indicated that the current phase of relief distribution may be followed by further support, depending on evolving security conditions and the outcome of ongoing assessments in other affected communities across the state.