by Akintomiwa Agbaje

Federal Fire Service is once again under intense scrutiny as it is said to have broken the Federal Character principle with the on-going secret recruitment undertaken by it.

Officials of the agency, as some reports say is that, under the Ministry of Interior the ones are responsible for this illegal act by recruiting their relations. For others, slots are sold to the highest bidder under the pretext of replacing retired or dead officers.

Leadership reports:

LEADERSHIP investigation revealed that the agency had been filling some slots in recent times through the illegal term called ‘replacement’. It was however learnt that such replacement never followed laid down procedures and are at variance with the federal character principle.

LEADERSHIP observed last Tuesday,  groups of successful recruits thronging the Area 10 Headquarters of the service to either collect their appointment letters or document before proceeding to the Fire Academy situated in Sheda, Bwari  area council. 

A number of applicants from the South- South, South East and the Middle Belt had raised issues bothering on marginalisation, nepotism and tribalism.

A source at the Area 10, Abuja National Headquarters, said,  the ranks of the beneficiaries fell within Assistant superintendent, inspector and below. He added that the appointment letters of these illegal recruits had found their way into the data bank of the agency, a development that has led to the agency being listed for probe.