Concerns are rising in Wukari Local Government Area, Taraba State, following repeated fire outbreaks that have highlighted the absence of a functional fire service in the council. The latest incident occurred on Friday at the council secretariat, where residents and bystanders resorted to using buckets of water to contain the blaze.
According to reports, the fire originated from nearby bushes before spreading to the secretariat building. This comes less than two years after a similar fire destroyed a phone shop opposite UBA Bank in Wukari, with residents battling the inferno for hours using improvised methods.
Residents expressed frustration over what they described as the failure of political officeholders to provide essential emergency services. They noted that Wukari is represented at local, state, and federal levels, including the governor, senator, members of the State House of Assembly, local government chairman, and councillors. Community members argued that the establishment of a basic fire service would significantly reduce property losses during such incidents.
Confirming the latest incident, Council Chairman Bala Useni said the fire broke out shortly after he left the secretariat for an official engagement and was alerted by a security operative of the Taraba State Marshal. He explained that initial efforts to control the fire were hampered as the Federal University Wukari Fire Service could not operate effectively due to a lack of water.
Useni added that most administrative buildings were affected, with only part of his office spared. He said investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of the fire and announced plans to constitute a committee to assess the extent of the damage. The incident has disrupted administrative activities and adversely impacted service delivery in the local government area.
