THE Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mustapha Maihaja has described the destruction of their facilities by the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) as unfortunate.
The IMN during their clash with the Nigerian Police set ablaze an emergency rescue station belonging to NEMA at the Federal Secretariat.
The NEMA DG said the equipment destroyed which include an expensive Rescue Tender and Mobile Intensive Care Unit (MICU) was used for emergency rescue operations.
Addressing journalists at the scene of the incident at Federal Secretariat, Abuja, Maihaja said the equipment would be replaced immediately the security situation improves.
“It is sad, I just got the information, I was somewhere in a meeting and I rushed to come and see things by myself.
“What we have here is called Rescue Tender and Mobile Intensive Care Unit (MICU), which is a specialised Ambulance, it has all equipment.
“I have not yet received the report of the incident, but so far, I came here to see things for myself and how devastating it is. It is an unfortunate situation.
“They are very expensive equipment, they are very costly items particularly the MICU and the Rescue Tender, it is meant for rescue operations.
ALSO READ: PDP hails Supreme Court’s refusal to reverse self on Zamfara
“It will affect the emergency response, these are facilities that are meant for it and we don’t have it, but we will deploy more to replace the ones we had when the security improves,” he noted
Recall that the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) otherwise called Shiites clashed with the Nigerian Police on Monday in Abuja.
This clash led to the death of many Shi’ites members and destruction of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) station at the Federal Secretariat in Abuja.
Tribune Online could not ascertain the number of casualties as the Nigerian Police evacuated many bodies before journalists arrived the scene.
The members of the IMN have been engaging in violent protests of late to press demands for the release of their leader, Sheikh Ibraheem El Zakzaky.
Meanwhile, several courts have granted El-Zakzaky bail on different occasions but the Nigerian government had refused to release him.
Recently, the IMN raised alarm over the deteriorating health conditions of their leader El-Zakzaky and his wife, demanding medical attention for both abroad.
Also, some doctors who were treating the IMN leader and his wife had said that the Shiekh had traits of poison in his system and demanded proper medical attention for the duo.
and then