Emir of Ilorin urges safety consciousness, warns against bush burning

Abdullateef Fowewe

The Emir of Ilorin and Chairman of the Kwara State Traditional Rulers Council, Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, has appealed to residents of Ilorin and the entire state to be safety conscious and ensure adequate protection of lives and property in their neighbourhood.

This appeal was contained in a statement issued by the emir spokesperson, Abdulazeez Arowona.

Arowona said, “Alhaji Sulu-Gambari expressed sadness over the numerous fire outbreak incidences that occurred in Ilorin, which claimed property worth several millions of Naira, stressing that, It is unfortunate to see the destruction of property at this critical period of economic trial.”

He thereby sympathised with the victims of the inferno and prayed that God would grant them the support that they desired to cope with the situation.

Meanwhile, the Kwara State Commissioner for Works and Transport, Abdulqwayy Olododo had earlier disclosed that the state fire service under the supervision of the recorded property estimated at about N817 million was lost to fire in the state between January and December this year.

Olododo, while commending the agency, said that it has been able to save N17 billion worth of property from fire incidents during the period.

In another development, the Kwara State Fire Service has warned game hunters in the state to desist from setting fire to bushes in search of bush meat, saying that it has attended to at least five fire incidents caused by bush burning in December 2024 alone.

The state Fire Service in a statement by Hassan Adekunle, Principal Fire Officer and head of Media and Publicity department urged the people in the state to immediately stop the dangerous and destructive practice of bush burning in the state.

“This reckless act has led to several fire outbreaks across the state, causing damage to properties and posing serious threats to lives and the environment.

“We urge all monarchs, village heads, and community leaders to take responsibility by educating their people on the dangers of bush burning and its devastating consequences. Preventing these incidents is a collective duty that begins with awareness and action,” the statement stated.

The statement listed some of the recent fire outbreaks caused by bush burning.

“The Kwara State Fire Service is determined to protect lives and properties, but we cannot do it alone. We need the cooperation of all Kwarans to stop bush burning immediately. This reckless behaviour has far-reaching consequences, and it is preventable if we act responsibly.

“If you notice any fire outbreak, report it immediately by calling the fire service. Together, let us build a safer and more fire-resilient Kwara State,” It added.