Metro

70 Lives Lost To Fire Incidents In 2021

Published

2 years ago

December 25, 2021

Kenny

The Federal Fire Service (FFS) has explained how it reduced fatalities associated with fire incidents, saying in 2021, 70 lives were lost as against to the 147 deaths recorded in the preceding year.

This was as it disclosed how it saved property worth about N19.4 trillion in 2021, praising Nigerians and sister security agencies for their cooperation.

Controller General of Fire, Dr Ibrahim Alhaji Liman announced this in a statement issued Friday in Abuja and signed by Service Public Relations Officer, Ugo Huan.

He also assured Nigerians that the Service is now better positioned to effectively respond to fire incidents and other emergencies.

He said: “If you check our fire statistics this year in comparison to other years, you will see that this year there is a drop in the loss of lives from 147 lives in 2020 to 70 lives in 2021 and increase in the estimated property saved from N1.4 trillion in 2020 to N19.4 trillion in 2021”.

Liman added that efforts by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Administration to safeguard the lives and property of Nigerians has led to the procurement of fire fighting assets, training and motivation of staff of the Service.

He explained that before 2015, the Federal Fire Service had only three rickety fire fighting trucks, but now, the Service has procured 141 modern fire trucks, staff strength has increased from 600 to over 6,000, and the Service has expanded from initial presence in just Lagos State and Abuja, to all States of the federation.

“The Service now has an ambulance service with 15 life-saving ambulances which were procured this year and well trained medical personnel for effective paramedic service during emergency response.

“To reduce our response time we’ve now in addition to our control room, set up a National Fire Data Repository Centre NFDRC which is housing the Nigerian Internal Security and Public Safety Alert System NISPSAS where emergency video calls are received, showing real time video locztion of the caller”, he said.

The CGF further disclosed that this year, the service procured a hydraulic platform fire fighting truck which has the capacity of fighting fire in an 18 storey building, as well as used to effect rescue.

He explained that the Service also sent some of its staff for training both within and outside the country – Belarus, UAE, UK – in order to understand and utilise the newly procured equipment and innovations.

“One of the important things we have achieved this year is the review of our working documents.

“In our efforts to give Nigerians a new branded Fire Service, we have been able to review our key working documents, they include, Nigerian Fire Policy, National Fire Safety Code, Standard Operating Procedure, Rules, Regulations and Disciplinary Act. I believe that when this is done, both Nigerians and the Nigerian Fire Service will be better for it.”

While wishing the Christian faithful a happy Christmas and new year celebration, Dr Liman urged Nigerians to be safety conscious and avoid activities or actions that might lead to fire incidents, especially at this period of the yuletide and harmattan.

The CGF also called on all Nigerians to have in their contacts the Emergency lines 08032003556 or 112, and call the numbers timely in case of any emergency.

Related Topics:#Federal fire service Christmas

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Metro

Edo Court Remands Man, 30, For Allegedly Defiling Minor

Published

5 hours ago

May 6, 2024

Editor

A Benin High Court on Monday ordered the remand of one Osasumwen Vincent, who allegedly defiled 11 years old at Correctional Custodian Centre, in Benin.

The 30-year-old suspect was arraigned on one count charge boardering on rape.

The state prosecutor, Mrs Hamma Iyamu earlier said the suspect sometimes in October 2022 at Ohovbe Quarters in Benin Juridical Division forcefully raped the 11-years old girl.

According to the prosecution, the suspect committed an offence contrary to section 4 and punishable under section 5 (1)of the Edo State Violence Against persons (prohibition) law
,2021.

He, however, but pleaded not guilty.

Justice Efe Ikponmwonba, subsequently, ordered his remand at the correctional facility and adjourned the case until June 10 for hearing.

Metro

PICTORIAL: Mother Of Four-year-old Boy Who Died In Abuja School Protests, Alleges Cover-up

Published

5 hours ago

May 6, 2024

Editor

The mother of the late four-year-old Miguel Ovoke, who recently died at the BrickHall School located in the Cadastral Zone B11, Kaura, in Abuja, on Monday, stormed the school in the company of others to protest the death of her son.

The mother of the deceased four-year-old Miguel protesting.
The lady alleged that the school authorities were covering up on the incident, which led to the death of their late pupil.

In clips making the rounds on social media, the bereaved mother, dressed in all-black, displayed a cardboard reading, ‘We Need Justice For Miguel, BrickHall School Kill Miguel.’

“18 students for one class where I dey pay N350,000,” she said in one of the videos.

In another video showing staff members of the school, she went from one staff member to another, identifying them as the people responsible for covering up her son’s death.

“See the head teacher,” she said. Moving from the head headteacher to another staffer, she said, “See who lie for doctor say my pikin dey for hospital, na this man lie for doctor ooo. Doctor say my pikin no die for hospital. Na who carry my pikin dead body go hospital.”

A police officer who was seen in one of the videos asked her, “If your matter is in CID, why are you here?”

Ovoke died on the school premises during feeding hours.

The mother of the deceased four-year-old Miguel protesting.

According to the death certificate dated April 24, 2024, issued by Excel Specialist Hospital, Abuja, which was sighted by our correspondent, Ovoke was brought to the hospital by his teachers around 11 am in an unconscious state.

The medical report, signed by Dr. Akinwande Ajayi, on behalf of the medical director, indicated that he was brought in, “on account of aspiration on meat while feeding at school.”

The hospital said upon examination, the medical team found that the boy’s pupils were fixed and dilated, with a nonreactive response to light.

His peripheral pulses were said to be “impalpable, blood pressure was unrecordable, and there was no cardiopulmonary activity or respiratory excursions, silent chest.”

The report indicated that all efforts of the medical team to resuscitate him failed.

The report concluded that he was “Brought in Dead.”

Metro

Man Arrested For Allegedly Defiling Minor Inside Mosque Restroom

Published

6 hours ago

May 6, 2024

Editor

The Ogun State Police Command has arrested a 40-year-old male worshipper identified as Abiola, otherwise known as Aro, who was accused of defiling a 14-year-old minor (name withheld) at the Olorunloba Mosque restroom located on Ondo Road in the Ijebu-Ode area of Ogun State.

Before Saturday’s incident, the suspect had been a member of the mosque for more than 15 years, according to information obtained exclusively by PUNCH Metro.

Following the completion of the afternoon Muslim prayer in the mosque, our correspondent learnt that the incident happened on Saturday, March 4, 2024, at about 2:20pm.

Based on the information provided to the police officers at the Igbeba Division, the survivor claimed that she needed to relieve herself and went to the mosque’s bathroom to pass the stool.

She, however, explained that she heard a knock on the door shortly after she entered the restroom.

The survivor further claimed that she was startled when she opened the door and discovered Aro standing by it, even though she had assumed the knock was from her younger brother, who had also come for the prayer.

She told the police that she was trying to find out why Aro was in the women’s restroom when she surprisingly saw him by the door. He was said to have then allegedly shoved her back into the restroom and forced her up against the wall.

A police source who was privy to the report but craved anonymity because he was not authorised to speak with the press told our correspondent that despite the survivor’s cries and pleas, Aro removed her pants violently and pinned the teenager to the toilet wall before having carnal knowledge of the girl.

A police document exclusively made available to The PUNCH about the report of the incident partly read, “As a result of what Aro did, the survivor started bleeding uncontrollably from her private parts. She went back home to report the matter to her guardian, who took her to a general hospital in the area for medical attention.”

Following the suspect’s arrest, he was detained, according to the state Police Public Relations Officer, Omolola Odutola, who also informed PUNCH Metro that the case would be forwarded to the State Criminal Investigation Department for additional investigation.

“The suspect has been arrested and detained for alleged defilement. He will be transferred to the State CID in Abeokuta immediately after the preliminary investigation is completed,” Odutola stated via a WhatsApp message on Sunday.

A related incident occurred on April 26, 2024, according to PUNCH Metro report, when the command detained two brothers, Olamijuwon Noibi and Lukman Olatunbosun, for suspected gang rape in Oke-Eri, Atan-Ijebu.

One of the suspects had tricked the survivor into coming to their apartment, where he allegedly assaulted her sexually and threatened to kill his younger brother, Olatunbosun, with a knife after he refused to take part in the crime.

Noibi was said to have also filmed the moment his brother was allegedly having unlawful sexual intercourse with the survivor.