Posted by Samuel on Tue 13th Jan, 2026 - tori.ng
The Federal Fire Service Command in the state confirmed the incident on Tuesday, describing it as an unprovoked attack by some disgruntled members of the public during an emergency operation.
Five personnel of the Federal Fire Service (FFS) were injured after their fire truck and crew were attacked while responding to a fire incident in Calabar, Cross River State.
The Federal Fire Service Command in the state confirmed the incident on Tuesday, describing it as an unprovoked attack by some disgruntled members of the public during an emergency operation.
The Commanding Officer of the Federal Fire Service in Cross River State, Olumayowa Olomola, confirmed the development during an interview in Calabar. She explained that the incident occurred around the Goldie axis of the Calabar metropolis when officers were mobilised to respond to a fire outbreak.
Ms Olomola disclosed that the firefighters were deployed following a request from the Cross River State Fire Service, which reportedly lacked the capacity to respond effectively to the emergency.
She said, “Officials of the federal fire service were attacked, and a fire appliance vandalised around the Goldie axis of calabar metropolis while responding to a fire incident. We heard that they misunderstood us to be from the state fire service which they accused of delayed response.
“We were called by the Cross River Fire Service to respond. This is after they complained of lacking the capacity to respond.”
According to the fire service official, the misunderstanding by members of the public escalated into violence, leaving five federal firefighters injured. She added that the attack was severe enough to prevent the officers from disembarking from their fire appliance to carry out their duty of extinguishing the fire.
The vandalism and the injuries sustained by the personnel further disrupted the emergency response, compounding the damage caused by the fire incident they were meant to address.
Ms Olomola also expressed concern over the welfare of the injured firefighters, stating that the Cross River State Government had yet to fulfill its promise to provide medical support for the affected personnel.
She said that the matter had been formally reported to law enforcement agencies to ensure that those responsible for the attack are identified and brought to justice.
The Federal Fire Service described the incident as a serious threat to emergency responders, noting that attacks on firefighting personnel undermine public safety and delay critical rescue operations.
Ms Olomola further urged residents of the state to exercise caution, particularly during the dry season, when fire outbreaks are more frequent.
She advised members of the public to avoid indiscriminate bush burning and other activities capable of causing fires, stressing that such actions often overstretch the capacity of emergency responders and increase risks to both personnel and property.
The Federal Fire Service reiterated its commitment to protecting lives and property, despite the challenges faced by its officers in the line of duty.