Incessant fire disaster worries residents, stakeholders in Oyo
Residents of Oyo State have expressed concern over the incessant cases of fire incidents in the state.
DAILY POST reports that the state has been witnessing frequent cases of fire incidents in the last few months.
It has become a weekly occurrence, raising concerns in the state.
From Ibadan, the state capital to Oyo, Oke Ogun to Ogbomoso and to Ibarapa zones, the situation remains the same, with markets not spared.
Some of the markets that have witnessed fire incidents in the last few months are Bodija market, Araromi market, Gate, Sanjo market, Oja Agbe market in Ibadan.
Apart from markets, residential buildings, companies, workshops and factories in some parts of the state are not spared.
This has attracted different reactions from the residents and stakeholders.
DAILY POST sought reactions from residents, development experts and stakeholders.
Fire fighters not well equipped – Don
An Ibadan indigene, who is a senior lecturer in the Department of Applied Educational Sciences, University of Namibia, Namibia, Dr Olufemi Timothy Adigun, in his reaction, described the incessant cases of fire outbreaks in the state as worrisome.
Adigun noted that all stakeholders at every level must wake up and save the situation.
He said, “How come there are several fire incidents in Oyo state is a question that all relevant stakeholders must answer.
“Of course, the re-occurrence of fire incidents is now becoming worrisome and tiring but it must be known that there will always be fire incidents when there are available factors that trigger fire.
“Unfortunately, recurrent fire incidents in the state have always led to destruction of life and properties in millions. The aftermath of fire incidents leaves no one with a smile on their face.
“The cases of fire incidents being reported daily in various news media is alarming. The cause of various fire incidents in Oyo state is beyond the government but the bulk of it lies in negligence of the citizenry.
“Citizens are failing in their duty to guard against factors that may lead to fire incidents, such as leaving naked firewood unquenched totally, not switching off every electrical appliance when leaving home or their shops/offices.
“In the cases of tankers carrying inflammable substances, I can categorically say that many of the drivers do not holistically attend to the mechanical and electrical needs of their trucks.
“The habit of ‘let me manage it for while’ is one of the factors that lead to issues of fire incidents.
“Although, in some instances, the nature of our roads, road-side trading and impatience of drivers have severe consequences that have led to fire incidents in our dear state.
“Stakeholders at every level must act. The Government must ensure that the Ministry of Transport is made to do their jobs by ensuring thorough inspection and certification of trucks carrying inflammable substances.
“None of such trucks should be allowed on the road without physical checks and clearance. It is very important that such checks should be digitalized so that all officers at any check point across the state can have relevant information about the worthiness of such trucks.
“As for marketplaces, it will be very important that every shop/stalls are made to have fire extinguishers.
“In addition, the water cooperation of Oyo State should ensure that there are water hydrants in every market. Even if the water hydrant is linked to a borehole, it will assist the fire fighters when there is need.
“This also calls for the need to link major rivers to all the fire hydrants in marketplaces. The government should not relent on the enforcement against street trading so that cars and traders won’t be struggling for the roads anymore.
“Having fire fighters in more strategic places would help to respond to distress calls as fast as possible. Therefore, the government should increase funding for equipment and training of fire fighters.
“Imagine the recent fire incident at the Capital building in Lagos, there were no heavy-duty fire trucks with ladders for rescue operations. Imagine the number of lives lost.
“Oyo state is becoming the hub of business and development, hence, there is a need for government and corporate bodies to perhaps have a trust fund to assist the fire fighters.”
Sensitization about fire protection, fire safety in Oyo State low- Fire Academy DG
The Director General of Fire Academy Nigeria, Professor Charles Israel Afolabi, while speaking with DAILY POST, lamented that the attitude of people in the state to fire prevention was low.
Afolabi tasked the state government to equip the fire service with the necessary equipment.
He added that the academy had been involved in fire awareness, in the markets, schools and organizations.
He also disclosed that the academy had recruited fire volunteers for training so as to work as back up for the government fire fighters.
He said, “There is virtually no sensitization about fire protection and fire safety in Oyo State.
“The attitude of people in the State towards fire safety and fire protection is low. Arsonists not ruled out.
“The government must assist with funds to help organizations like Fire Academy to do a better sensitization/ awareness creation. People do not know what climate change is all about.
“Fire Academy has been involved in Fire Awareness, in the market places, schools, organizations, recruiting fire volunteers for training with the Oyo Fire Services Agency to work as back up for the government Fire Fighters, developed already a Diploma Programme in Fire Protection and Fire Safety etc.
“The stakeholders need to fund the Activities of Fire Academy Nigeria. We need money, equipment, vehicles and human resources. The fire service must work with us, retraining, and awareness.”
Government should provide more funds for fire agencies- Amusat-Gbenla
Executive Director of Centre for Disaster Risk and Crisis Reduction, Kolawole Amusat-Gbenla advised governments at all levels to provide more funds for fire agencies.
He added that the centre has been doing its best to create more awareness in communities and markets on fire risks and what the people can do to reduce it and be resilient to its impacts.
Amusat-Gbenla maintained that the centre has been to many markets in Ibadan, met with landlords associations, as well to build their capacity on how to prevent fire incidents.
“The causes of incessant fire outbreaks in Oyo State is not different from the general known triggers that cause fire everywhere in the country.
“As we know that fire disasters in this part of the world are majorly caused by you and I, what we call human-induced disasters.
“You will agree with me that when such materials like fuel, gases in our cylinders, power source at homes and in the markets are not properly managed, the result will be an outbreak, and the occurrence may be devastating.
“As a non-governmental, not for profit organization saddled with the responsibility of disaster risk reduction and safety promotion in Nigerian communities, Centre for Disaster Risk and Crisis Reduction is doing her best possible to ensure that we create awareness in communities and markets on fire risks and what our people can do to reduce it and be resilient to its impacts.
“What we all need to do as stakeholders either state or non-state actors, or community members, is to understand that the fire we experience here is what we induce ourselves, thus, we need to put in measures to reduce the risks.
“We must engage in intensive awareness creation in the communities to be spearheaded by household heads, landlord associations and other structures in the communities.
“The markets too must wake up to this responsibility, establish a task force to be in charge of fire risk reduction and create funds to buy fire equipment and service them regularly for the market use.
“The government, which is the custodian of laws and policies should also do what is required to reduce fire risk and provide budgetary provisions for her agencies such as the Fire Services, SEMAs and LEMCS so that they will be equipped with the modern fire fighting equipment to curb the incessant outbreaks.”
We recorded 272 fire outbreaks in 9 months – Chairman, Fire Service
Chairman, Oyo State Fire Service, Hon Maroof while speaking with DAILY POST noted that the agency attended two hundred and seventy two (272) cases of fire incidents in the state in nine months.
He added that these cases were recorded between January and September 2025.
Akinwande maintained that the agency had upgraded its infrastructure so as to respond to emergencies.
He said, “when you look at urbanisation, nowadays, the cities and towns are expanding, the population is growing, everything is growing, it is normal that the rate at which things will occur will increase.
“So, what we need to do is to make people aware. And I want to appreciate the media who are reporting it, they are reporting these cases and it is going a long way to raise people’s consciousness about their safety.
“And more importantly is that the people do not care to have fire extinguishers, people don’t care to have them. When it occurs, the only alternative is to call the fire service.
“I want to appeal to the people to be safely conscious. Safely does not start at the day if occured. It starts from the first day of construction of houses, industries. Human activities have increased.
“Let me tell you that the traditional belief of people is that we do have fire incidents during dry seasons, but the pattern has changed nowadays.
“We have had a lot of fire outbreaks in the last nine months even during the rainy season. The figure is very enormous. If these are happening during the rainy season, we should be more prepared for the dry season.
“We recorded 39 in January, 35 in February, 33 in March, 32 in April, 35 in May, 27 in June, 23 in July, 21 in August and 27 in September.
“We have upgraded our infrastructure, nobody can have it all. But I can say that we are 80 per cent prepared.
“Why we are reporting cases of fire incidents is because the fire service is working. I want to say that in the last nine months, there has been no fire incident that we did not attend to.
“We attended to all the fire incidents reported to us. People should take care of their safety.
“People should employ preventive measures. Use the right appliances. Ensure proper disposal of wastes”.