Crisis Rocks Federal Fire Service As CG Stays Put After Tenure Expiration

Intense power struggle at the Federal Fire Service is threatening the operations of the agency as the Controller General, Engr. Joseph Garba Anebi, has refused to quit after completing the 35 years mandatory service.

Anebi, by civil service rule, should have proceeded on compulsory leave three months before Friday, August 31 when he formally completed his statutory 35 years in service.

Findings by our correspondent showed that the CG has given indication that he won’t be leaving office anytime soon as he is alleged to have boasted that he will get tenure extension.

Anebi’s move has unsettled senior officers of the FFS who are angling to replace him, though by the books, he should handover to his second in command contrary to rule.

“We are waiting to see what he, CG, is up to. Can you imagine that he called a management meeting on Friday to say the Ministry of interior had written to the Presidency to request for a 4-month extension of Service on his behalf.

“After 35 years what has he forgotten that he does not want to leave?” An officer who asked not to be named for fear of victimization asked rhetorically.

The source said that the approval was yet to arrive, yet Anebi was still in office, alleging “this is fraudulent, since it means that our No. 1 Fireman is discharging the duties of his office based on anticipatory approval.”

What has flared tempers is that in June, the CG Fire was issued a letter from the Presidency directing him to hand over to the second in command and proceed on forced retirement.

He however, rallied resources and goodwill to get a soft-landing to serve till his mandatory 35 years which was 31 August, 2018.