Funtua Fire Victims Await Relief as SEMA Begins Assessment of Losses in Three Wards

By Taibat Ummi Yakubu

Residents affected by recent fire outbreaks in parts of Funtua Local Government Area of Katsina State may receive additional assistance as the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) begins assessing the damage suffered by victims.

The assessment followed a visit by a SEMA delegation to the council on Friday to inspect communities affected by fire incidents in Nasarawa, Sabon Gari and Maska wards and document the losses for possible government intervention.

Receiving the delegation, the Chairman of Funtua Local Government Area, Alhaji Abdulmutallab Goya, described the visit as a reflection of the strong working relationship between the council and SEMA in responding to emergencies. He said the local government had already provided support to the victims within the limits of its available resources but considered it necessary to involve the state agency to explore additional assistance.

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Goya urged the affected residents to provide accurate and comprehensive details of their losses, explaining that proper documentation would help the state government assess their needs and determine the assistance it could provide to ease their hardship.

The Executive Secretary of SEMA, Hajiya Binta Dangani, represented by the Director of Rescue Operations, Alhaji Murtala Gidado, said the visit was aimed at inspecting the affected locations and compiling records of the damage suffered by residents. She explained that providing emergency assistance to people affected by disasters across Katsina State was one of the agency’s major responsibilities.

Dangani assured the council chairman that SEMA officials would visit each affected household individually to gather detailed information on the losses incurred. The exercise, she said, would provide the necessary information for the government to consider appropriate relief measures.

Earlier, the Director of Education and Social Development Department of Funtua Local Government, Alhaji Sulaiman Hassan, said the council maintained close cooperation with SEMA whenever disasters occurred in the area. He disclosed that records of fire incidents reported across the local government from the beginning of 2026 had been compiled and would be forwarded to the agency once the documentation was completed.

The assessment is expected to provide a clearer picture of the impact of the fire outbreaks and the needs of affected households, although no specific amount or package of additional relief was announced during the visit. For residents who have suffered losses, the exercise represents an important step towards having their damages officially documented and considered for possible state government support.