Cross River residents left helpless as fire safety fails

BY EHIGIMETOR IGBAUGBA

The pain felt by traders at the Akim Timber Market in Calabar on March 28, 2025, remains vivid, following a fire incident that caught many unawares and left devastating losses in its wake.

The fire, which began at the close of trading, consumed more than physical structures; it eroded the traders’ peace of mind and sense of stability.

Indeed, it was not just wood and metal that went up in flames, but livelihoods, dreams and years of hard work painstakingly built over time.

By the time the inferno was brought under control, the once-bustling market had been reduced to ruins, with twisted zinc sheets and charred planks symbolising shattered hopes.

Worse still, the fire raged for several hours without any meaningful intervention from emergency responders, leaving traders to watch helplessly as their means of livelihood disappeared.

Similarly, the Akim incident mirrors the March 21, 2025 fire outbreak in Edibe area, where more than 60 residents sustained varying degrees of injuries while attempting to contain the blaze themselves in the absence of fire service support.

These incidents, among others, underscore a troubling pattern in Cross River, where fire outbreaks have continued to inflict pain and despair on residents.

Available data indicate that no fewer than 60 fire incidents have occurred across the state in the past two years, affecting all 18 local government areas.

Notably, Calabar South Local Government Area accounts for over 50 per cent of these incidents, while communities in the central and northern senatorial districts face even greater neglect in terms of emergency response and infrastructure.

Observers attribute the devastating impact of these fires largely to the absence of a functional fire service in the state.

Historically, fire outbreaks remain a persistent and deadly challenge across Nigeria, with the Federal Fire Service (FFS) recording 1,866 incidents in 2025.

These fires led to 114 deaths, while 198 civilians and five firefighters were injured.

In the same period, the FFS managed to save 2,106 lives and protect N934.7 billion worth of property, demonstrating both the scale of the threat and the importance of effective emergency response.

Residential areas accounted for the highest number of fires, with 693 incidents, followed by public and government buildings (444 cases), markets and trading centres (190 cases), and vehicles (177 cases).

Markets in particular proved especially vulnerable, with fire outbreaks causing 39 deaths and property losses estimated at N22.27 billion, revealing the significant economic and human impact of fires in crowded commercial spaces.

The leading causes of fire incidents are largely preventable, with electrical faults such as power surges, overloads, and faulty wiring responsible for nearly 70 per cent of all fires recorded in 2025.

Albeit these clear patterns, state and local fire services often remain under-resourced, contributing to delayed or inadequate responses in critical situations.

Historical data from 2024 show similar trends, with property losses exceeding N67 billion and more than 100 lives lost nationwide.

State-level variations also underline disparities in fire safety infrastructure.

For example, Lagos State recorded 1,685 fires in 2025 with 133 fatalities, while Kaduna State recorded 323 incidents and 11 deaths in 2024.

These figures demonstrate that, even in states with active fire services, communities remain vulnerable, reinforcing the urgent need for fully functional fire services across Nigeria, including in areas like Cross River where infrastructure is minimal or non-existent.

In spite of a population of over 4.4 million and a vast landmass, Cross River has no functional fire service stations.

Residents are left dependent on limited support from agencies such as the Federal Fire Service (FFS), the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the University of Calabar (UniCal), and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN). However, these facilities are grossly inadequate.

For instance, the Federal Fire Service’s only functional truck in the state is currently grounded following vandalization during an operation, while the University of Calabar operates just one small truck.

In the same vein, the Nigerian Ports Authority’s fire service is restrict- ed to port operations, and available equipment is largely concentrated in Calabar, leaving other districts without coverage.

Given the state’s difficult terrain, where travel between Calabar and other districts can take between four and seven hours, communities in places such as Ikom and Ogoja are often left at the mercy of raging fires.

A visit to the state fire service headquarters revealed that a renovation project initiated over two years ago has been abandoned, while inactive fire trucks remain parked with outdated hoses.

The Director of the State Fire Service, Mr Emmanuel Ajom, acknowledged the challenges, noting that although personnel are well trained, they lack the equipment required to function effectively.

“One thing is that men of the Cross River State Fire Service are well trained and capable of putting out these fires, but we lack the necessary equipment to combat them.

“You cannot put out a raging flame with bare hands. The Cross River State Fire Service needs functional fire trucks, water hoses, and other equipment to combat fires.

“We need functional vehicles, water hoses, and other items used in modern firefighting. We are capable and ready to do the job we were trained and employed to do,” he said. Ajom further stressed the need to safeguard lives and investments.

“Losing lives and investments worth millions of naira to fire is heartbreaking. This is what the victims have worked so hard to build, and we must save them from the hazard of fire.

“We appeal to government to give more attention to the safety and protection of lives and property,” he said.

Nonetheless, investigations revealed that the state fire service has three trucks, all of which are nonfunctional, with outdated hoses.

Sources alleged that a contract awarded for their refurbishment was poorly executed and subsequently abandoned.

“They awarded a contract for the refurbishing of the three trucks, and the contractor, who is very close to power, did a shoddy job and smiled to the bank.

“I doubt if the current administration is committed to equipping the emergency department.

“So, whenever there is a fire outbreak or emergency and we are called, we simply cannot respond because we are not equipped to carry out our work,” a source said.

Also speaking, the State Commanding Officer of the Federal Fire Service, Mrs Olumayowa Olomola, attributed the agency’s inability to respond effectively to damaged equipment.

“Not only was our truck vandalised, some of our fire officers were inflicted with injuries during the operation.

“This state government is fully aware of this and had promised to fix the truck and treat the injured officers.

“But as we speak, we have made several follow-ups and they have not responded several months later,” she said.

Meanwhile, residents have continued to express concern over the situation, calling for urgent government intervention. Mr Lyord Ndoma said the absence of functional fire service stations had left communities vulnerable.

“Cases of fire outbreaks in Cross River which always leave a lot of destruction in its wake, both in human lives and property abound in recent time.

“So, we are concerned about the absence of functional fire service stations across the state,” he said.

Similarly, Mr Abel Agim described the situation as abnormal, urging the government to take decisive action.

“Occasionally coming out to commiserate with the victims and promise of support is not the main issue here; the solution is to provide means of emergency response to reduce the impact of the incidents,” he said.

Stakeholders say addressing the situation requires a comprehensive approach, including provision of modern firefighting equipment, rehabilitation of infrastructure and improved funding.

It would be recalled that the Cross River State House of Assembly passed the State Fire Service Bill in May 2024, aimed at repositioning the service to meet expected standards.

However, months after its passage, residents say there are no visible signs of implementation.

Analysts warn that without urgent investment in firefighting infrastructure and effective implementation of policies; residents may continue to suffer avoidable losses.

They stress that beyond policy pronouncements, deliberate and sustained action is required to protect lives and property across.