There was panic yesterday morning after a fire outbreak engulfed part of the Federal Secretariat Complex in Abuja.
The fire reportedly affected a section housing the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) in Abuja.
Witnesses said the incident caused confusion within the premises as workers and visitors hurried out of the building for safety.
The situation also forced a diversion of vehicular traffic around the Court of Appeal Complex area as emergency responders moved in to contain the blaze.
The cause of the fire, which began about 8.00am, has yet to be confirmed by authorities, but fingers point at power surge.
Confirming the incident, national spokesperson of the Federal Fire Service (FFS), Paul Abraham, said the situation had since been contained and investigations underway to ascertain the cause and extent of damage.
“The fire is under control, and fire investigators deployed to ascertain the remote and actual cause of the fire.
“We got a call at about 08:20 hours this morning and men of the Federal Fire Service were swiftly deployed to the scene of the incident,” the spokesperson said.
Suspecting sabotage, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has tasked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate the incident.
The rights group, through the National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, queried the frequent fire outbreaks in government offices, especially in finance departments, which it suspects to be an act of sabotage by government officials and politicians.
“Why are there fires all the time in strategic ministries and government agencies since 2015? Unfortunately, there has been no determination of the causes of such mysterious fires in places like the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and offices of the Accountant General of the Federation, which occurred during Muhammadu Buhari’s highly corrupt federal administration?
“Since the Bola Tinubu government came, there have been suspicious fires in strategic offices especially offices housing documents that deal with procurements. Now it is the turn of the Head of Service of the Federation. Which office is next?”
The inferno at the Federal Secretariat in Abuja yesterday, affecting Section C of the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation building, was first spotted around 8.20am, with thick smoke billowing from the structure, prompting staff evacuation and emergency response. Firefighters were on the scene, and authorities cordoned off the area, diverting traffic near the Federal Court of Appeal.
No casualties have been reported, and the cause of the fire still unknown.
THE GUARDIAN
