The Federal Fire Service in Rivers State said it has combated 131 fire cases in the state since the beginning of the year.
The commanding officer of the Federal Fire Service in the state, DCF Abdul Alfa who gave the figure also said properties worth over N2.63bn were lost to fires within the period in review.
According to him: “From January this year to November, we were able to fight 131 fires from our record. The expected property loss was N2.63bn, then the expected property saved from January to November 2022 was N18.1bn.”
He added: “From January 2022 to date, the lives lost were only three.”
Speaking further, Alfa said: “We find it a bit difficult to get to the [scene of a] fire in good time because of other road users. If you see a fire vehicle coming with siren, without being told you should know that this vehicle is going to attend to an emergency, [however] most vehicles block the road and refuse to give us right of way and as such it always affects our response time.”
Continuing, he added: “The state government can help us create sensitization or awareness on-air so that, if [citizens] see any fire service car coming with siren, they should know that the vehicle is going to attend to an emergency.”
We battled 131 fire outbreaks from Jan to Nov – Rivers Federal Fire Service
The Federal Fire Service in Rivers State said it has combated 131 fire cases in the state since the beginning of the year.
The commanding officer of the Federal Fire Service in the state, DCF Abdul Alfa who gave the figure also said properties worth over N2.63bn were lost to fires within the period in review.
According to him: “From January this year to November, we were able to fight 131 fires from our record. The expected property loss was N2.63bn, then the expected property saved from January to November 2022 was N18.1bn.”
He added: “From January 2022 to date, the lives lost were only three.”
Speaking further, Alfa said: “We find it a bit difficult to get to the [scene of a] fire in good time because of other road users. If you see a fire vehicle coming with siren, without being told you should know that this vehicle is going to attend to an emergency, [however] most vehicles block the road and refuse to give us right of way and as such it always affects our response time.”
Continuing, he added: “The state government can help us create sensitization or awareness on-air so that, if [citizens] see any fire service car coming with siren, they should know that the vehicle is going to attend to an emergency.”
By Omotayo Olatunde
Ado Ekiti
The Ekiti State Government, has waded into the lingering chieftaincy crisis between Omuo Ekiti and Ahan- Ayegunle in Ekiti East Local Government, ordering Olomuo of Omuo Ekiti, HRM Oba Noah Omonigbehin to stop the new Alahan he installed from parading himself as a chief .
The government ordered the monarch to stay action pending the time a reconciliation committee to be constituted by the state government will submit its report on the crisis.
The government’s position was sequel to a petition written by the Alahan of Ahan- Ayegunle, HRH Oba Mathew Jegede, raising serious disapproval to Olomuo’s intention to install another Alahon in Omuo -Ekiti.
In a parley with the two feuding communities in Ado -Ekiti, on Friday, Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Chief (Mrs) ChristianahMonisade Afuye, ordered the Olomuo to stay action and maintain status quo pending the time the reconciliation committee’s white paper will be released.
The Deputy Governor, in a statement by her Special Assistant on Media, Victor Ogunje, stated that the title of Alahon shouldn’t have been replicated by Olomuo, since government had granted Ahan -Ekiti autonomy and has now become an autonomous community.
Mrs Afuye also expressed displeasure at the way the Olomuohad installed another Alahan on October 29, 2022, in contravention of the stringent directive by the immediate past government that he should stay action on the matter.
After listening to the submissions of the two monarchs, MrsAfuye replied that; “In my own opinion, Once a community gets autonomy, whatever that is within its jurisdiction should go with it. In that case, there can’t be two Alahan.
“Let me also say this, the fact that the government had stopped Olomuo from installing anyone as Alahan- Omuo, I believe that Kabiyesi Olomuo as one of the leading Obas shouldn’t have defied the order.
“Don’t forget that you are our fathers and we have to do things that will promote peace and development, that is what the Biodun Oyebanji’s government is committed to.
“Once the government is contemplating setting up areconciliation committee, I believe Kabiyesi ought to have exercised patience . Don’t also forget that government is a continuum. Even if it was a PDP government that gave that order, we will still go into our file so as to be properly guided.
“The new Alahan installed by Olomuo should stop parading himself for now. I appeal to Olomuo to tell the new chief to comply. What we are after is peace and development and no other vested interest”, the Deputy Governor stated.
Speaking earlier, the Alahon of Ahan-Ayegunle, Oba Durojaye, applauded Dr Kayode Fayemi’s government for granting autonomy, following their qualification, insisting that his title can’t be replicated by Olomuo.
He said he appreciated the fact that the Alahan’s title was part of the Olomuo-in-Council before the autonomy, saying the community has now become independent and that his title can’t be replicated anywhere.
“Since I became autonomous, I have been having problem with Olomuo. I was one of the high chiefs under Omuo just like Nigeria was under the British government and Ekiti under OndoState.
“Kota, Omuo, Isaya, Araromi and others had all left Omuowhen they got autonomy. Go and check the history properly, there is nothing like Ahan- Omuo Ekiti, what we need is for us to be fully autonomous and allow peace to reign”.
Maintaining that he had always lived harmoniously with other towns under him, Oba Omonigbehin, posited that he had never been embroiled in crisis for the 31 years he had being on the throne.
“I know much about the history than any other person in that area. I am not opposed to the autonomy for Ahan -Ayegunle. But we have Ahan -Ayegunle and Ahan- Omuo. Ahan Ayegunlejoined Omuo- Ekiti recently.
“The Alahan can only control Ahon-Ayegunle and not Ahon -Omuo, that has always been my contention. Ahan-Ayegunle to Ahan-Omuo is about 10 kilometres to each other and the latter is firmly on our land. How can Alahan now controls the people on my land?
“We will abide by the government’s position that they will constitute a reconcilation committee to visit the place. We are confident that the truth will be unfolded when they come”.
