The government of Nigeria has requested that the California National Guard train the personnel of the Federal Fire Service (FFS), to control and manage varied wide and huge fire disasters.
The Minister of Interior, Mr Rauf Aregbesola, made the request during a meeting with a delegation from the California National Guard on Monday in Abuja, according to a statement by the Blessing Lere-Adams, the director of press in the ministry. The team was headed by Major-General David S.Baldwin,-Adjutant General.
Aregbesola said the capacity training will go a long way in ensuring that the government curtails the destruction of lives and properties in the country’s forests and homes when such incidences of wide fire disasters occur.
The Minister also requested the National Guard to assist the country’s agencies on inter-agency operations to enhance their capabilities to manage wide and huge fire incidences.
“The aim of humanity is to benefit from people’s experiences and be better prepared for such occurrences, thereby putting timely necessary remedy in place,” he said.
Aregbesola requested that a team be arranged to work with the FFS officers and the Nigerian Air force crew to develop a skill to do buck planning that will provide tangible solutions.
The Permanent Secretary of Interior, Dr Shuaib Belgore, in his welcome remarks, said that the visit of the California Guard would have been earlier, but for the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Belgore revealed that the Ministry and all its Services will be in Ilorin this week for the 2nd Annual Ministerial Retreat to address and discuss security grey areas thereby coming up with better strategies that will definitely improve internal security management in Nigeria.
