A fire outbreak on Monday evening destroyed part of the Podium Block at the Rivers State Secretariat Complex in Port Harcourt, damaging several properties.
The blaze affected the section housing the Rivers State Pension Board. Rivers State Head of Service, Iyingi Brown, confirmed in a voice note sent to Channels Television that the incident was caused by an electrical fault.
She said firefighters from the State Fire Service, Federal Fire Service, and the military worked together to bring the situation under control.
The fire occurred just days after Governor Siminalayi Fubara dissolved the Rivers State Pension Board without providing any explanation.
It also came shortly after the governor issued a stern warning to permanent secretaries he accused of falling short of civil service standards during the period of emergency rule in the state, noting that such records could later be used against them.
While there is no official connection between the board’s dissolution and the fire, the timing has sparked public speculation about whether the incident was coincidental or an attempt to destroy crucial documents.
The police and state authorities are expected to carry out a full investigation to uncover the true cause of the fire.
What you should know
The fire that destroyed part of the Rivers State Secretariat Complex occurred shortly after Governor Fubara dissolved the state’s Pension Board, raising suspicions about possible links.
Though officials attribute the incident to an electrical fault, investigations are ongoing to determine if it was accidental or deliberate.
