FG to Establish Fire Police to End Mob action against Firefighters

Michael Olugbode in Abuja

The federal government is planning to establish ‘Fire Police’ to arrest and prevent any mob action and vandalisation of firefighting assets all over the country.

According to the Minister of Interior and Chairman of the National Council on Fire, Rauf Aregbesola, this is part of the efforts to address the challenges often faced by firefighters during operations-mob action and vandalisation of firefighting assets in the country.

Speaking during the opening ceremony of the National Council on Fire held in Jos, Plateau State, at the weekend, the minister said plans were underway to create an arm-bearing unit of the Federal Fire Service (FFS) to be referred to as ‘Fire Police’, whose duty would be to provide armed outer cordon during operations (fire rescue).

Aregbesola, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Interior, Dr. Shuaib Belgore, said the ministry would initiate the process of repealing the 1963 obsolete Fire Service Act and promote the enactment of a new contemporary, vibrant, and enforceable law, through the instrument of an Executive Bill to be forwarded to the National Assembly for deliberation and eventual passage into law.

He noted that fire safety management as an imperative for national security can and should become a tool for not only the national security but also national development.

According to him, “When critical national assets are adequately protected against consequences of huge losses due to fire incidents, these assets are saved; the economy is further protected, because the very lean resources that would have otherwise been used to rehabilitate or reconstruct such affected infrastructure would be channeled to other areas of our national development. Our national archives and sensitive information would be preserved.”

The minister assured Nigerians that the ministry under his watch would continue to find innovative ways to empower the Fire Service in order to provide timely and quality service of world class standard to the generality of Nigerians and foreigners alike.

The Federal Fire Service (FFS), he noted, had enjoyed and would continue to enjoy the tremendous support of President Muhamadu Buhari.

“I am confident that as this government progresses in office, the FFS would be sufficiently repositioned to deliver timely and quality service to the country,” he reiterated.

In his remarks, the Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong, who declared the council open, thanked the ministry for choosing the state for this year’s conference, noting that the theme: ‘Fire Safety Management: An Imperative for National Security’, was well conceived at a time the country was grappling with numerous security challenges.