Opinion
Fire Outbreaks In Nigeria
Fire outbreaks is a perennial problem in Nigeria. Yearly cases of fire outbreaks are reported in the country. This is, indeed, worrisome. We should always be careful whenever we are dealing with combustible materials at our homes, offices and markets. In the meantime, houses and other properties were gutted by fire in Onopa, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. The fire incident which happened on Sunday, November 28, 2010, took some lives including a pregnant woman. According to reports, the pregnant woman Mrs Benita Olotu and her son Paul had just returned from a funeral when the incident happened. Mrs Olotu was tired and immediately retired to her room. She was asleep when the fire started and gutted her apartment. The fire could not be put out until after five hours. According to our sources the fire started when a dealer in adulterated fuel was refueling a generator set that was on. Then there was a spark which resulted in the fire that spread to the whole community destroying many houses and other properties as already stated. In fact, no fewer than fifty houses were destroyed. properties destroyed were estimated at billions of naira.
The Governor of Bayelsa State Mr Timipre Sylva expressed shock at the level of destruction. He promised to compensate the affected families. He directed that names of those affected should be compiled and sent to him warning against inclusion of fake names. He stressed that part of the cause of the fire was failure to adhere to planning regulations by builders. The Governor said government would acquire the area.
However, the main cause of the fire is a spark from a generator being fueled with adulterated petrol by a dealer when it was on. This behaviour should be condemned and discouraged. Petrol should not be kept in living places let alone being fueled into a generator that was on. Another condemnable act was that the fuel was an adulterated one. Why must somebody be using adulterated fuel to power a generator? Using adulterated fuel is very dangerous. Nobody should use adulterated fuel. Some Nigerians believe in doing the wrong thing at all times in order to make money. We should all condemn this criminal behaviour. We should always endeavour to live a decent life so that this country can move forward and earn the respect of the international community. Now, the lives that have been lost to the inferno cannot be regained. This is too bad. Let us always look for the right thing and do.
Also, fire razed a shopping complex in Minna, Niger State, on Wednesday, December 1, 2010. The fire which started at about 1a.m destroyed goods worth one hundred and fifty million naira. Fire service agents could not save the situation because of scarcity of water. According to reports, owners of shops watched helplessly as their goods burnt to ashes. One of the Victims, Mr Robinson Akubuike said, he lost goods worth more than seventy million naira. He stressed that everything he had worked for in life was burnt in that fire, adding that he could not salvage anything. As already observed, we should be very careful whenever we are handling materials that can easily •catch fire. We should all note that fire is a bad master. Whatever that is lost to fire can hardly be regained. We should therefore be very careful with fire particularly in this dry season.
Not long age, properties worth millions of naira were destroyed by fire at Oroakworo Mgbuosimini in the ObiojAkpo Local Government Area of Rivers State. According to reports, the fire broke out at 7p.m on March 6, 2010.
Reports further indicated that the fire was caused by petrol stored in jerricans in the area by some people. The fire was later put out by a combined team of the Nigerian Agip Oil Company Fire Service and some members of the community. Speaking later, one of the affected landlords, Chief C. O. Chinda said, he had lost everything he had in life. He stressed that henceforth the community would ensure that fuel was not stored near residential areas.
It is bad to store fuel in living houses. Fuel is highly inflammable and should not be stored in living houses. Anything or material that can cause fire should be avoided by all well-meaning citizens of this country. It should be noted that prevention is always better than cure. We should therefore try to prevent the high incident of fire outbreak in Nigeria.
Nevertheless, fire outbreaks are caused by many factors. Storing of petrol in living houses and markets is one of the factors. The fire at Oroakworo Mgbuosimini, earlier cited was caused by petrol stored in jerricans in the community by some people. Other causes of fire include careless disposal of cigarette stubs at markets, living houses and offices. Adulterated fuel can also cause fire. Nobody should use adulterated fuel to power a generator. Illegal connection of electricity is another factor. Power surge, sparks, lighted match, stoves, cookers and gas cylinders are all sources of fire. However, some fire outbreaks are caused by some human beings with evil intent. To check the high frequency of fire outbreaks in Nigeria the above mentioned sources of fire should be avoided.
Dr Tolofari is a Fellow, Institute of Corporate Administration of Nigeria
Mann Tolofari
Opinion
Restoring Order, Delivering Good Governance
The political atmosphere in Rivers State has been anything but calm in 2025. Yet, a rare moment of unity was witnessed on Saturday, June 28, when Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, appeared side by side at the funeral of Elder Temple Omezurike Onuoha, Wike’s late uncle. What could have passed for a routine condolence visit evolved into a significant political statement—a symbolic show of reconciliation in a state bruised by deep political strife.
The funeral, attended by dignitaries from across the nation, was more than a moment of shared grief. It became the public reflection of a private peace accord reached earlier at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. There, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu brought together Governor Fubara, Minister Wike, the suspended Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, and other lawmakers to chart a new path forward.
For Rivers people, that truce is a beacon of hope. But they are not content with photo opportunities and promises. What they demand now is the immediate lifting of the state of emergency declared in March 2025, and the unconditional reinstatement of Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Dr. Ngozi Odu, and all suspended lawmakers. They insist on the restoration of their democratic mandate.
President Tinubu’s decision to suspend the entire structure of Rivers State’s elected leadership and appoint a sole administrator was a drastic response to a deepening political crisis. While it may have prevented a complete breakdown in governance, it also robbed the people of their voice. That silence must now end.
The administrator, retired naval chief Ibok-Ette Ibas, has managed a caretaker role. But Rivers State cannot thrive under unelected stewardship. Democracy must return—not partially, not symbolically, but fully. President Tinubu has to ensure that the people’s will, expressed through the ballot, is restored in word and deed.
Governor Fubara, who will complete his six-month suspension by September, was elected to serve the people of Rivers, not to be sidelined by political intrigues. His return should not be ceremonial. It should come with the full powers and authority vested in him by the constitution and the mandate of Rivers citizens.
The people’s frustration is understandable. At the heart of the political crisis was a power tussle between loyalists of Fubara and those of Wike. Institutions, particularly the State House of Assembly, became battlegrounds. Attempts were made to impeach Fubara. The situation deteriorated into a full-blown crisis, and governance was nearly brought to its knees.
But the tide must now turn. With the Senate’s approval of a record ?1.485 trillion budget for Rivers State for 2025, a new opportunity has emerged. This budget is not just a fiscal document—it is a blueprint for transformation, allocating ?1.077 trillion for capital projects alone. Yet, without the governor’s reinstatement, its execution remains in doubt.
It is Governor Fubara, and only him, who possesses the people’s mandate to execute this ambitious budget. It is time for him to return to duty with vigor, responsibility, and a renewed sense of urgency. The people expect delivery—on roads, hospitals, schools, and job creation.
Rivers civil servants, recovering from neglect and under appreciation, should also continue to be a top priority. Fubara should continue to ensure timely payment of salaries, address pension issues, and create a more effective, motivated public workforce. This is how governance becomes real in people’s lives.
The “Rivers First” mantra with which Fubara campaigned is now being tested. That slogan should become policy. It must inform every appointment, every contract, every budget decision, and every reform. It must reflect the needs and aspirations of the ordinary Rivers person—not political patrons or vested interests.
Beyond infrastructure and administration, political healing is essential. Governor Fubara and Minister Wike must go beyond temporary peace. They should actively unite their camps and followers to form one strong political family. The future of Rivers cannot be built on division.
Political appointments, both at the Federal and State levels, must reflect a spirit of fairness, tolerance, and inclusivity. The days of political vendettas and exclusive lists must end. Every ethnic group, every gender, and every generation must feel included in the new Rivers project.
Rivers is too diverse to be governed by one faction. Lasting peace can only be built on concessions, maturity, and equity. The people are watching to see if the peace deal will lead to deeper understanding or simply paper over cracks in an already fragile political arrangement.
Wike, now a national figure as Minister of the FCT, has a responsibility to rise above the local fray and support the development of Rivers State. His influence should bring federal attention and investment to the state, not political interference or division.
Likewise, Fubara should lead with restraint, humility, and a focus on service delivery. His return should not be marked by revenge or political purges but by inclusive leadership that welcomes even former adversaries into the process of rebuilding the state.
“The people are no longer interested in power struggles. They want light in their streets, drugs in their hospitals, teachers in their classrooms, and jobs for their children. The politics of ego and entitlement have to give way to governance with purpose.
The appearance of both leaders at the funeral was a glimpse of what unity could look like. That moment should now evolve into a movement-one that prioritizes Rivers State over every personal ambition. Let it be the beginning of true reconciliation and progress.
As September draws near, the Federal government should act decisively to end the state of emergency and reinstate all suspended officials. Rivers State must return to constitutional order and normal democratic processes. This is the minimum requirement of good governance.
The crisis in Rivers has dragged on for too long. The truce is a step forward, but much more is needed. Reinstating Governor Fubara, implementing the ?1.485 trillion budget, and uniting political factions are now the urgent tasks ahead. Rivers people have suffered enough. It is time to restore leadership, rebuild trust, and finally put Rivers first.
By: Amieyeofori Ibim
Amieyeofori Ibim is former Editor of The Tide Newspapers, political analyst and public affairs commentator
Opinion
Checking Herdsmen Rampage
Do the Fulani herdsmen have an expansionists agenda, like their progenitor, Uthman Dan Fodio? Why are they everywhere even the remotest part of other areas in Nigeria harassing, maiming, raping and killing the owners of the land?”
In a swift reaction, The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) decried and strongly condemned the invasion by suspected Fulani herdsmen.
In his denunciation, MOSOP President Fegalo Nsuke described the incident as very unfortunate and deeply troubling, warning against a recurrence of the violence experienced in Benue State. “The killing of yesterday is bad and very unfortunate. We are getting preliminary information about how the herders gained access to the farmland, and it appears some hoodlums may be collecting money and granting access illegally.”
He called on the Hausa community in Rivers State to intervene swiftly to prevent further attacks.
“We want the Hausa community in Rivers State to take urgent action to ensure these issues are resolved”.
But will such appeal and requests end the violent disposition of the Fulani herdsmen? It is not saying something new that the escalating threat and breach of peace across the country by the Fulani herdsmen or those suspected to be Fulani herdsmen, leaves much to be desired in a country that is bedevilled by multi-dimensional challenges and hydra-headed problems.
Some upland Local Government Areas of Rivers State, such as Etche, Omuma, Emohua, Ikwerre, Oyigbo, Abua, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, have severally recounted their ordeals, as herdsmen invaded farmlands, destroyed crops, raped female farmers and killed protestant residents.
Again the wanton destruction of lives and properties which no doubt has overwhelmed the Nigerian Police, makes the clamour for State Police, indispensable. The National Assembly should consider the amendment of the Constitution to allow States to have their Statutory policing agencies.
Opinion
Is Nigeria Democratic Nation?
As insurgency has risen to an all time high in the country were killings has now grown to be a normal daily activity in some part of the nation it may not be safe to say that Nigeria still practices democracy.
Several massacres coming from the Boko Haram and the herdsmen amongst all other insurgencies which have led to the destruction of homes and killing, burning of communities especially in the northern part of the country. All these put together are result of the ethnic battles that are fought between the tribes of Nigeria and this can be witnessed in Benue State where herders and farmers have been in constant clashes for ages. They have experienced nothing but casualties and unrest.
In the month of June 13-14, the Yelwata attack at the Guma Local Government Area by suspected gunmen or herdsmen who stormed the houses of innocent IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons) claiming the lives of families, both adults and children estimated to be 200 victims. They were all burnt alive by these unknown gunmen.
This has been recorded as one of the deadliest insurgencies that had happened in recent years. Some security personnel that were trying to fight the unknown gunmen also lost their lives.
Prior to the Yelewata attack, two days before the happening, similar conflict took place in Makurdi on June 11, 2025. 25 people were killed in the State. Even in Plateau State and the Southern Kaduna an attack also took place in the month of June.
All other states that make up the Middle Belt have been experiencing the farmers/herders clash for years now and it has persisted up till recent times, claiming lives of families and children, homes and lands, escalating in 2025 with coordinated assaults.
Various authorities and other villagers who fled for safety also blamed the herdsmen in the State for the attack that happened in Yelwata community.
Ehebha God’stime is an Intern with The Tide.
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