The Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Department (FEMD) has warned against the rising circulation of fake and substandard fire extinguishers in Abuja, calling for urgent collaboration with the Transport Secretariat to curb the threat.
FEMD Acting Director General, Engr. Abdulrahman Mohammed, raised the alarm during the introduction of the Nigeria Fire Extinguisher Control (NFEC) and Gas Explosion Prevention System (GEPS) team. He explained that some criminals refill expired extinguishers with poor-quality materials or tamper with gauges to falsely indicate safety, endangering lives.
He described such acts as violations of Nigerian Industrial Standards, citing examples like filling 10kg extinguishers with only 0.25kg of powder instead of the required 0.9kg.
Transport Secretariat Mandate Secretary, Barr. Chinedum Elechi, welcomed the initiative, lamenting the frequent road fire incidents where extinguishers fail when needed most. He pledged the Secretariat’s full support.
NFEC/GEPS Coordinator, Mr. Benson Olatunji, stressed the need for public sensitization, enforcement, and vendor training to ensure fire safety across sectors.
The initiative aims to prevent tragedies by ensuring only certified extinguishers are in use, especially in vehicles and public spaces.
