By Seun Adams
Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji AregbesolaAkure has commissioned a new State-of-the Art fire -fighting truck in Akure to further boost the capacity of the Service to protect the lives and property of Nigerians from fire emergencies.
While commissioning the project at the Government House, Alagbaka- Akure, Ondo State, during the week, Aregbesola disclosed that with the deployment of the newly procured fire engines across the country to boost emergency response, the Federal Fire Service is now present in all the 36 states of the Federation, including the Federal Capital Territory.
“The Federal Fire Service has between the months of June 2019 till date, responded to over 2,615 fire calls, saved 724 lives and assets worth more than N1.629 trillion.” The Minister said.
He therefore called on Nigerians to be cautious in the usage of fire, especially as the dry season sets, in order to prevent all forms of fire disaster during the festive period and beyond.
The Minister appealed to the youths and those with the tendency to burn bushes, to restrain from bush burning, reckless disposal of un-burnt cigarettes among others, during the dry season.
He added that in order to reduce the response time to emergencies, the service has now increased its zonal commands to 12 with the establishment of additional six zonal commands in Bauchi, Makurdi, Kubwa, Abeokuta, Kano and Enugu.
Aregbesola advised those in the habit of attacking firemen and equipment to desist from such practices, describing it as a reckless and mindless act
“It is wrong to attack fire-fighters and their trucks, when we attack them, we destroy ourselves, as the fire will not be put out; henceforth, whoever attacks our fire officers and trucks will face the wrath of the law,” the Minister reiterated.
Earlier, the Executive Governor of Ondo State, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu said, he was committed to enhancing the collaboration between the State and the Federal Fire Service.
He further assured of his administration’s determination to ensuring that all fire stations are put in good shape for quick response to emergencies
Also speaking, the Controller General, Federal Fire Service, Dr. Liman Ibrahim (FFS) stated that the deployment of the fire-fighting asset to the State was in line with the resolve of President Muhammadu Buhari-led Administration to ensure the safety of lives and property in the country
He added that the Federal Fire Service has established six new fire service training schools in Katsina, Kwara, Osun, Abia, Borno and Cross River to cover the six geopolitical zones to cater to the human capital development needs of the service locally.