Alarmed by the rising spate of fire outbreaks in major cities, the Federal Government, on Tuesday, inaugurated a Special Task Force on Public and Private Building Audit to enforce stricter compliance with fire safety regulations nationwide.

Controller General of the Federal Fire Service FFS, Olumode Adeyemi Samuel, who performed the inauguration at the Service Headquarters in Abuja, said the move followed recent tragedies, including the Afriland tower fire in Lagos and repeated plaza infernos in Abuja.

“The frequency of these incidents underscores the urgency of enforcing safety standards. Fire safety is not a choice but a shared responsibility,” Adeyemi warned.

He said the Task Force would immediately begin mapping public buildings across the country, classifying them by risk levels, inspecting compliance and submitting actionable recommendations to guide enforcement and policy decisions.

The team, chaired by Assistant Controller General Bolarinde Tajudeen Muhammed, Head of the Inspection, Investigation and Enforcement Department, includes senior officers from operations, legal and public relations units of the Service.

Adeyemi charged the members to carry out their mandate with professionalism and integrity, while urging owners and managers of high-rise and public facilities to cooperate fully with the audit team.

He reaffirmed the FFS’s commitment to protecting lives, property and critical infrastructure, stressing that prevention through compliance was now non-negotiable. (Vanguard)