A section of the Rivers State Government Secretariat in Port Harcourt has been gutted by fire, leaving staff and residents in panic as thick smoke billowed across the premises on Monday morning.
Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) gathered that the affected section of the complex houses the Rivers State Pension Board, which was recently at the centre of administrative changes following the sacking of its leadership by Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Eyewitnesses said the fire broke out unexpectedly, spreading rapidly through parts of the building before firefighters arrived at the scene.
Honour Sirawoo, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Information, confirmed the incident, stating that firemen from both the State Fire Service and the Federal Fire Service (FFS) were on the ground battling to extinguish the flames.
According to Sirawoo, efforts are ongoing to determine the cause of the fire, which began around mid-morning and continued for several hours despite emergency response efforts.
He added that it is still unclear whether there were any casualties or injuries as a result of the inferno.
“The situation is under control now,” he said, “but we are still assessing the extent of the damage to government property.”
Sources at the secretariat told DDM that sensitive documents and office equipment belonging to the Pension Board may have been destroyed in the blaze.
This incident comes barely three weeks after Governor Fubara dissolved the State Pensions Board, which had been inaugurated by the immediate past sole administrator, Ibok-Ete Ibas, on September 12.
Following the dissolution, the governor directed the office of the Accountant-General to temporarily take over the functions of the Pension Board pending the appointment of a new management team.
Observers in the state are already linking the timing of the fire to the ongoing political and administrative tensions between different government departments under the Fubara administration.
Security operatives have since cordoned off the affected area while investigation teams are expected to commence inquiries into the cause of the fire.
As of the time of this report, normal activities at other sections of the secretariat have been partially disrupted, with workers advised to vacate nearby offices as a precautionary measure.
Meanwhile, the state government has promised to issue an official statement after the completion of a preliminary damage assessment.
Residents of Port Harcourt expressed concern over the frequency of fire incidents in public buildings, calling on the government to strengthen fire safety systems across ministries and agencies to prevent future occurrences.