By Isiaka Mustapha, Editor-in-Chief, People’s Security Monitor

The Federal Government has announced plans to repeal the 1963 Federal Fire Service Act and replace it with a new legislation that will establish a more comprehensive Federal Fire and Rescue Service with expanded responsibilities beyond conventional firefighting.The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disclosed this on Monday in Abuja during the 2026 National Fire Safety Week, saying the proposed bill had passed through the Federal Executive Council’s deliberations and would be presented on Thursday.

According to the minister, the existing legislation has become obsolete and is incapable of adequately supporting modern emergency response operations in the country.“You cannot have a Fire Service Act of 1963 and think it will be near 2026 compliant. It doesn’t make sense,” Tunji-Ojo said.

He explained that outdated legal provisions had continued to restrict the operational capacity of firefighters, stressing that personnel could not effectively perform responsibilities without the necessary statutory authority.“If the law does not give you the power to do certain things, it makes the job of this man in uniform impossible,” he said.The minister emphasised that the proposed legislation would provide a comprehensive legal framework for the service, warning that good intentions could not justify actions undertaken without lawful authority.

“There is no right way of doing what is legally wrong. If the law does not give you the power to do something, no matter how good that action is, once you do it, it becomes illegal,” he stated.

The proposed Federal Fire and Rescue Service is expected to operate as a frontline emergency response institution, with responsibilities covering first aid, emergency medical services, rescue operations, hazardous materials response, disaster management and accident investigation.Tunji-Ojo said the expanded mandate was necessary because fire was only one of the numerous hazards confronting Nigerians.“When it comes to hazards, fire is only one of the hazards. Even flood, water can be hazardous,” he said, citing the Maiduguri flooding following the collapse of the Alau Dam as an example of the growing need for specialised emergency response capabilities.He stressed that the government wanted a service equipped to respond to emergencies involving toxic gases, aircraft incidents, helicopter accidents, structural collapses and other dangerous situations requiring specialised rescue operations.The minister also advocated the introduction of rescue education and emergency response training in schools, arguing that basic lifesaving skills should become part of everyday knowledge among Nigerians.

He questioned the proportion of Nigerians capable of performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation or other basic resuscitation procedures, insisting that emergency response awareness could help save lives.Tunji-Ojo said rescue preparedness should become a national culture, noting that anyone could suddenly find themselves in a position to save the life of a family member, friend or stranger.Beyond legislative reforms, the minister disclosed that the Federal Fire Service had undergone significant administrative restructuring, with its commands increasing from six to 18 and the number of Deputy Controllers-General rising from one to three.

He also announced that construction of the Fire Academy in Sheda, Kwali, Federal Capital Territory, had reached approximately 85 per cent completion and was scheduled for commissioning on December 23.The 23-hectare academy is expected to accommodate more than 3,000 trainees and feature solar power infrastructure, automated training simulators and modern facilities for professional firefighting and rescue training.Tunji-Ojo further disclosed that the Federal Government had strengthened the service’s operational capacity through the acquisition of more than 10 fire trucks, 450 drums of chemical foam, over 2,000 protective tunics and 300 breathing apparatus units.

Reflecting on the previous state of equipment and personnel protection, he said the government had discovered that firefighters were being deployed to dangerous operations without adequate protective equipment.“When we came on board, we realised that we were sending people to go and fight fire without protecting them. That was sending them on a suicide mission,” he said.The minister also claimed that operational improvements had significantly reduced the service’s emergency response time from between 32 and 35 minutes to 15 minutes and 22 seconds.

According to him, the Federal Fire Service handled 136 incidents in August alone, rescued 119 people without recording any fatalities, and saved property estimated at ₦23 billion.The proposed legislation, if enacted, would represent a major transformation of Nigeria’s firefighting and emergency response framework, potentially positioning the Federal Fire and Rescue Service as a central institution in the country’s disaster management and public safety architecture.