*Federal Fire Service Condemns Action
More facts have emerged how hoodlums on Wednesday attacked the Federal Fire Station situated at the Abuja International Building Materials Market, located at the Dei-Dei Market, Abuja.
Hoodlums had set building materials worth billions on fire after a clash between okada riders and traders in the market.
An okada rider was accused of putting his passenger, an Igbo woman o the harms way by running under a moving trailer which ended up crushing the woman’s head.
The issue had led to the okada riders attacking traders and setting the building materials on fire.
The hoodlums had allegedly prevented Fire Service officials from carrying out their duty to allow the goods to burn.
The Federal Fire Service has condemned the attack on Dei-Dei area fire station in Abuja by angry mob, following the unrest at building material market on Wednesday.
The FFS Public Relation’s Officer, Mr. Paul Abraham, said the attack by the hoodlums led to the destruction of several parts of the station and the station’s firefighting trucks.
Dei-Dei International Building Material Market, experienced a civil unrest at the early hours of Wednesday which led to the destruction of property.
FCT Minister Mohammad Bello, had also ordered the indefinite closure of the market, following a clash between commercial motorcyclists and the traders.
Abraham said that FFS Controller General, Abdulganiyu Jaji, had decried the attack emphasising that men of the service were determined to save 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 expense 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.
The PRO said that the Dei-Dei command received a distressed call from the market association chairman regarding the arson ongoing in the market.
He explained that men of the service said that they would only turn out to the scene of fire if they were protected by security operatives who were yet to be on ground at that time.
He said that while the firemen 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 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 crisis.