Fire gutted some parts of the Nigeria Supreme Court building in Abuja on Monday morning and damaged some of the justices’ chambers.
The Spokesperson of the Supreme Court, Dr Festus Akande, said after the fire incident that contrary to social media reports early this morning the fire outbreak at the headquarters of the apex court was not a serious incident
He attributed the fire incident to an electrical fault. The fire was effectively put off by the court’s fire Service department and it was prevented from spreading to other offices.
Sadly the fire destroyed the chamber of Justice Mohammed Saulawa before it was put off.
Akande said that no life was lost as the fire was immediately put off by some staff and men of the Fire Service at the Supreme Court.
By the time our correspondent got to the apex court around 8.40 a.m., the fire had already been put off.
The Director of Press and Information however, in a telephone conversation said that the fire was a result of an electrical fault, but that the staff in the particular office in one of the justice’s chambers quickly made use of fire extinguishers in the office to put it off, just as firemen at the premises quickly joined in the efforts.
Akande also dismissed insinuation that the outbreak had anything to do with arson, but mere electrical fault.
News that the Supreme Court was on fire filtered in around 8 a.m. Monday morning, with the claim that the offices of three justices have been completely raised down.
However, the fire outbreak affected only one chamber and damaged some appliances and documents before it was put out.