By Ashemiriogwa Emmanuel
The Federal Fire Service (FFS) has said that it will henceforth deploy men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to give security cover to firefighters during emergency operations across the country.
The Minister of Interior, Mr Rauf Aregbesola, who disclosed this, explained that the deployment of armed men has become necessary as a result of the incessant attacks on firefighting trucks and men when responding to fire emergency calls.
He said this while commissioning a modern firefighting truck in Cross River State, with the state governor, Mr Ben Ayade, and the Controller General of FFS, Mr Liman Ibrahim, and others in attendance.
“We are deploying armed personnel of the Civil Defence as the advance team to every fire emergency. They will be armed. So, whoever, therefore, dares to test our will, will pay dearly for it henceforth.
“So, to be forewarned is to be careful as they are to secure every ground of emergency and enough of willful damage of expensive fire trucks and grievous physical attack on fire service personnel.
“Some characters just use disdain excuses to damage and attack our trucks and grievously so on personnel and this makes it difficult for them to carry out their assignment,” Mr Aregbesola disclosed.
Speaking on the safety of the fire service personnel and equipment, the Minister urged communities to be the first line of defence for firefighters in ensuring that they save lives and property.
He said, “Our communities now should stand up and own the firefighting equipment deployed and procured for their use at a huge cost.
“They should be the first line of defence in the face of attacks from vandals, hoodlums, unruly armed elements and must not allow those characters own the space because at the end of the day they will be the ones to suffer for lack of response.”
