By Goodluck Ikiebe.
The Federal iFire Service (FFS) has condemned the attack on Dei-Dei area fire station in Abuja by angry mob following the area’s building material market unrest on Wednesday.
FFS Public Relation’s Officer (PRO), Mr Paul Abraham, told newsmen in an interview that the attack by the hoodlums led to the destruction of several parts of the station and the station’s firefighting trucks.
The spokesman said that FFS Controller General, Abdulganiyu Jaji, had decried the attack, emphasising that men of the service are determined to safe lives and property.
“Firefighters have a statutory duty to protect lives and property even in the face of danger.
“It is on this note that it is unacceptable and inexcusable to attack gallant men, who at the expenses of their lives turned out to put under control the self induced fire.
“ No Nigerian has the right to take laws into his or her hands talk more of vandalizing firefighting equipment, threatening firemen as well as tampering with private property,” he said.
While explaining why the angry mob attacked the fire station, which is not located in the market, Mr Abraham said that the dei-dei command received a phone call from the market association Chairman regarding the arson ongoing in the market.
He further explained that men of the service said that they will turn out to the scene of fire if they were protected by security operatives, who were yet to be on ground at that time.
Mr Abraham said that while the fire men were on standby waiting for the arrival of security operatives, a mob approached the fire station and began attacking firefighters, who were ready to be deployed.
He, however, said that the firemen eventually turned out to the chaotic scene to put the fire under control with the presence of security operatives.
The spokesman said that the CG commended the gallant firefighters for their act of bravery, which went a long way in saving lives and property worth billions of naira from the inferno.
“Jaji also sympathised with persons who got injured during the market crisis” Abraham stated.
