Angry mob attacks Onitsha fire fighters for arriving late to quench a raging inferno

There was pandemonium on Sunday, January 1, 2023, as an angry mob attacked operatives of the Anambra State Fire Service for allegedly arriving late at the scene of a fire incident.

In a statement in which the Director/Fire Chief of Anambra Fire Service, Martin Agbili, disclosed this incident, it was noted therein that the mob shattered the windscreen and side mirrors of the fire truck.

According to the fire service chief, the attackers didn’t stop at destroying the agency’s properties, but went further to injure some of the operatives.

The incident, Agbili said, occurred at Atani Road, by Uga Junction, Onitsha, at about 6.00pm of the day.

“On Sunday, January 1, 2023, at about 1800hours, Anambra State Fire Service received a distress call of fire incident at Uga junction by Atani road.

“Immediately our fire truck and firefighters were deployed to the scene. On arrival to the fire scene, the mob attacked us.

“They threw stones, sticks and irons at us. Unfortunately, they shattered the windscreen of our fire trucks, the side glasses and also wounded some firefighters.

“As they started throwing stones on the fire truck while the fire was still on, what we could hear was, ‘is it now that you people are coming to fight the fire?

“We managed to escape the mob attack with our shattered windscreen and some injured firefighters.

“This gift of New Year is really unfortunate, that our hardworking firefighters of Anambra State will be welcomed to the New Year with this barbaric act,” the statement read.

Adding that an investigation is ongoing on the matter, Agbili vowed that the attackers will soon be arrested and brought to book.