No fewer than 528 victims of fire disasters from four local government councils of Kwara State  on Wednesday benefited from the Federal Government’s disasters relief intervention.

The items distributed included roofing sheets, bags of roofing nails, mattresses, bags of rice, cartons of noodles, wrappers and soaps.

The Zonal Coordinator for Kwara and Niger States, the National Emergency Management Agency,  Mr. Slaku Lugard,  while distributing the materials to the victims  in Ilorin, said NEMA would continue to respond to emergency and relief matters.

He urged the beneficiaries to make good use of the materials and appealed to Nigerians to be more safety conscious.

“I want to advise the beneficiaries to use them (relief materials) judiciously.  We heard that some people take them and do something else.

“They should use them because the purpose is to affect their lives.

“They should use it and appreciate the Federal Government for helping them and providing succor for them.

“We have done some sensitisation. We want to do more on fire, flood and other disasters.

“NEMA is not about responding to disasters and then bringing relief materials.  We are more on disaster risk reduction. People should try to reduce risks, know what to do, avoid them and the impact will be minimal if it must come,” he said.

The Special Adviser to the Kwara State Governor on Emergency and Relief Matters, Mr. Abdulazeez Ibrahim, commended the Federal Government and NEMA for the initiative.

He stated that the state government had assisted many disaster victims in the state.

He pleaded with the Kwara State residents to avoid things that  could precipitate disasters.

One of the beneficiaries, who identified himself simply as Femi, said NEMA’s intervention was a welcome development.

“I feel good. For this, I am proud of my country. It will go a long way in cushioning the effects of the disaster that befell me,” he said.