The unremitting frequency of fire outbreaks in Nigeria is no doubt very distressing, especially during the harmattan season. Earlier this year, Heritage Mall Ibadan and a section of the Sam Mbakwe Cargo airport in Imo State were gutted by fire, resulting in flight delays and cancellations. Recently, multiple fire incidents engulfed two markets in Lagos - the popular Balogun and Okobaba Plank markets. Also in Lagos State, fire outbreaks took place in Marina (500 Shops were razed), at a warehouse in Mosheshe Industrial Estate, Kirikiri, and in Sabo Yaba. At the time of writing this piece, Lagos State witnessed more than 15 fire outbreaks within 72 hours in the second week of January 2015.

Introduction

The unrelenting insecurity, terrorism/insurgency miasma in Nigeria is disturbing. Innocent people are arbitrarily hacked to death, the issue is talked about for a few days, a Committee/Panel is assembled and the whole episode fizzles out sooner than later. Terrorism/Insurgency and insecurity has taken a big toll on innocent lives, public infrastructures and Nigeria’s economy. A recent report suggests Nigeria’s military campaign against terrorism and insurgency may have gulped over N1 trillion. Caging Boko Haram has hitherto proved cagey due to the unconventional (Guerrilla-war nature) of their operation with a trend towards ‘Lone Wolf’ terrorism - maximizing the use of surprise, terror  by a loose network of individuals or groups sympathetic to a common cause. The potency of terrorism is essentially psychological; terrorists know they cannot win the war so they attempt to make the price of their antagonist’s victory exorbitant.