The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 1 Division Nigerian Army, Maj.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, says Nigeria has recorded over 2,056 cases of fire incidents with a loss of over N1 trillion of properties in 2022.
Lagbaja gave the figures during a fire prevention and management sensitisation seminar held at the Headquarters 1 Division Nigerian Army, Kaduna on Thursday.
The GOC, represented by Brig.-Gen. Ogochukwu Ugeleka, said available data indicated that domestic fire accounted for over 41 per cent of the total number of fire incidents in neighbouring Ghana.
He explained that the seminar was part of yearly calendar of the Army to engage barracks communities on fire prevention.
According to him, there has been increasing cases of fire due to population growth, unstable electricity, negligence and illegal electrical connections, among others.
Lagbaja said the Nigerian Army was not left out of fire incidents which had damaged its property and endangered the lives of personnel and their families in barracks and cantonments.
The GOC further said that fire incidents had also led to loss of critical operational assets, thereby affecting the morale of troops and their operational efficiency.
“On January 24, 2021, the Depot Nigerian Army in Zaria was engulfed in fire destroying 15 blocks.
“Several officers and soldiers accommodations as well as critical military assets within barracks, cantonments and military facilities in the Division’s Area of Responsibility were destroyed by fire in recent times,” he added.
He therefore said it was imperative to sustain sensitisation on fire prevention and management in all military barracks.
The GOC said that the division had held sensitisation campaigns on fire prevention and management and set up committees in all formations and units to drive the campaign.
Lagbaja implored the participants to take advantage of the opportunity for the benefit of all, and thanked the Department of Army Logistics for organising the seminar.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the resource persons were from the Nigerian Army, Federal and State Fire Services as well as the Federal Road Safety Corps.
Flyers were distributed and static displays were made in the course of the seminar to increase awareness and skills on fire prevention and management.(NAN)
