By Admin
The House of Representatives has given the Controller-General, CG of the Federal Fire Service, Mr Jaji Abdulganiyu 24 hours to appear in person and explain events around Friday’s fire truck accident that claimed three lives and injured others in Abuja.
The Minority Whip of the house, Ali Isah issued the ultimatum after the CG failed to honour earlier invitation.
Mr. Isah said that the house had seen on social media videos emerging from the scene of the accident but had not seen any public statement from the service.
The House directed that the service should immediately visit the family, engage and commiserate with family, take over the medical bills of those in the hospital and make arrangements for adequate compensations.
The Minority Whip said that the service should put measures in place to ensure that such incidents do not happen again.
Earlier, the Deputy Controller-General Administration and Supplies, Mr Samuel Olumode said that the service was very remorseful over the incident.
He explained that the CG was not around in person as he had to attend to other state matters but delegated him and other officers to represent him.
Mr. Olumode said that no one will love to lose any life, blaming the incident on the urgency of the operation.
He explained that the fire truck driver involved in the accident did not stop for fear of mob action which he said was common against fighters.
The deputy controller-general, however, said that the driver reported to the nearest police station and had been in detention since then.
According to Mr. Olumode, the service, led by the CG himself, had taken several actions including visiting the family of the deceased and those in the hospital.
He said that a delegation of fire officers also attended the funeral service at the National Mosque and subsequently burial.
He said that the service had also issued a public apology which had been aired and published by major media organisations in the country
It could be recalled that the incident in which three siblings lost their lives happened late Friday evening at the ECOWAS junction in Wuse 2, Abuja during a firefighting operation at Avenue Plaza, Banex.
