According to report reaching oyogist.com, Lagos House of Assembly has recommended two years’ imprisonment for a person or persons obstructing fire fighting or assaulting firefighters.
The Assembly made the recommendation in its proposed state fire service bill.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Special Duties, Mr Raheem Kazeem (Ibeju Lekki II) made the disclosure at a one-day public hearing on the bill on Friday.
The public hearing was conducted by the House of Assembly.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the bill is entitled: “A Bill for a Law to Establish the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service and for Connected Purposes”.
According to Kazeem, the bill proposes that any person or group of people obstructing, assaulting or resisting fire service personnel shall be fined N500,000 or sentenced to a jail term of two years or both, for an individual.
According to the lawmaker, failure to yield right of way to engines or other mobile fire-fighting equipment as required by the law is an offence and, on conviction, the accused shall be liable to a fine not exceeding N100,000 or a prison term not exceeding six months or both.
The lawmaker noted that the bill also provided for prohibition and control of the use of materials classified as fire hazards in the erection, alteration, improvement or repair of any building or other structures.
Kazeem said the bill also provided for risk assessment and fire investigation in public and private places considered to be potential risks to human lives and property.
“Any prescribed charge under this may be sued for and recovered in a court of competent jurisdiction in the state by the state fire controller in his official name with full costs of action from the person charged as a debtor to the state.
“A charge shall not be made for any service rendered by the service in extinguishing fires and for rescue operations.
“It also provides that all buildings must have fire safety equipment such as conventional fire extinguishers, smoke detector, central fire alarm system and, at least, two staircases for storey buildings.
“Buildings that are two storeys or more are to have hose reel equipment and automatic fire detection and suppression system (Fire Master 200/Pyrogen etc).
“The service is empowered to cause authorised officers to inspect any building in the state and the service shall charge fees for inspection of such buildings,” he said.
