How we saved property worth N3 trillion from fire inferno in 6 years – Niger Comptroller of fire service

By Naseer Mijinyawa, Minna

Property worth over 3 trillion naira have been saved from fire inferno while property worth over 1 bilion naira were gutted by fire in the last six years, the State Comptroller of Fire Service, Alhaji Salihu Bello has disclosed.

He explained that the State Fire Asevice had attended to a total of 1400 distressed calls out which 1,298 were fire calls, which resulted to the rescue of 33 of some buildings and 67 false alarms were received by the service.

This was contained in a press release signed by the State Comptroller of the Service in Niger State and made available to CAPITAL POST in Minna.

According to the State Comptroller, the Niger State governor, Abubakar Sani Bello purchased a total of 19 fire engines, 4 water tankkers and 5 Ambulances as well as construction of fire station at Bosso road, Kontagora, Bida, Mokwa, 3 arms zone and Suleja has been completed while work on Agaie and Lapai is in progress.

He further disclosed a total of 36 officers of the State Fire Service have so far undergone a competency course and obtained advance certificate, while 12 others benefited from a two day in- house training workshop on operational re-orientation to improve productivity and professional competence organized by Special Duty.

He stated that men and officers of the Service are currently enjoying special salary scale known as consolidated para- military salary structure (COMPASS), adding that a total of 151 staff were recruited in 2017 as part of the governor Abubakar Sani Bello’s effort to reinvigorate the service.

Alhaji Salihu Bello further revealed that the governor Abubakar Sani Bello led administration equally made purchase of loose equipment and procured foam chemical equipment for the state Fire Service in 2017 and 2019 to assist in quelling fire inferno in the state.

He added that as part of the present administration’s commitment to the service for service delivery, fire fighting vehicles have been distributed to the headquarters of the State Fire Service in Agaie, Bida, Suleja, Kontagora, Lapai, Kutigi Kagara, Kura and Rijau while new fire service stations were created in 3 arms zone in Minna, Mokwa and new Bussa.

Similarly, the State Comptroller of fire service stated that two fire fighting vehicles were purchased for Ibrahim Babangida University (IBBU), Lapai and Niger State Polytechnic Zungeru, and staff of the institutions were trained by the service.

While commending the present administration of governor Abubakar Sani Bello for investing in the state Fire service, he assured that the service will reciprocate by responding promptly to any fire out break in any part of the State.