From 1985 to the 21st Century: Taraba Fire Service Recruits Showcase New Rescue Skills, Seek Modern Law for Modern Fire Service.

By Jako Keke, August 20, 2026 .

The Taraba State Fire Service is witnessing a new chapter in its development as newly recruited firefighters undergo intensive training in firefighting, rescue operations and emergency response, demonstrating skills designed to meet the realities of modern fire and disaster management.

The ongoing training features practical drills in rescue techniques, rope operations, teamwork, emergency evacuation and other tactical responses required of firefighters in the 21st century.

The impressive performance of the recruits has further highlighted the renewed commitment of the Taraba State Government to strengthening fire safety and emergency response across the state.

The firefighters have commended the Executive Governor of Taraba State, Dr. Agbu Kefas, for his administration's efforts to improve the capacity of the Fire Service through recruitment, infrastructure development and renewed attention to public safety.

According to the firefighters, the ongoing improvement in infrastructure, coupled with the recruitment and training of new personnel, represents a significant step towards building a stronger and more responsive Fire Service capable of protecting lives, homes, businesses and public infrastructure across Taraba State.

However, as the Service enters this new phase, stakeholders are calling for a corresponding review of the legal framework governing the institution.

The Taraba State Fire Service is currently operating under an outdated 1985 Edict inherited from the then Gongola State Fire Service following the creation of Taraba State. More than four decades later, the nature of fire risks, urban development, building construction, industrial activities and emergency response requirements have changed considerably.

The call, therefore, is for the Taraba State Government to take the next strategic step by reviewing and replacing the 1985 Fire Service Edict with a modern law that reflects 21st-century realities.

Such a review would provide the Fire Service with a stronger institutional framework, clearly defined responsibilities, modern operational standards and the legal backing required to effectively regulate fire prevention, safety compliance, rescue operations and emergency response across the state.

The ongoing upgrade of Fire Service infrastructure provides an important foundation for this transformation. What is now required is for the legal framework to move at the same pace as the physical and human-capacity development of the Service.

The new recruits' rescue drills are therefore more than routine training exercises. They represent a changing Fire Service—one that is gradually moving from a largely reactive firefighting institution to a modern emergency management and rescue organisation.

With the right equipment, adequate manpower, improved infrastructure and a modern enabling law, the Taraba State Fire Service can be positioned to meet the growing safety demands of Jalingo and other rapidly developing communities across the state.

The new generation of firefighters has demonstrated that Taraba has the human capacity and determination to build a world-class Fire Service.

The next step is to give that new generation a modern law to work with.

From the 1985 Gongola-era framework to a 21st-century Taraba Fire Service, the message is clear: the Service is changing, and its legal foundation must change with it.