A fire outbreak has destroyed a large section of the Wukari Local Government Secretariat in Taraba State, causing the loss of property estimated to be worth billions of naira.
Confirming the incident, the Chairman of Wukari Local Government Area, Bala Useni, said the fire broke out shortly after he left the office for an official engagement.
“I was alerted to the incident by a security operative of the Taraba State Security Marshal,” Useni said.
According to the chairman, initial efforts to extinguish the fire were unsuccessful as the Federal University Wukari Fire Service could not operate due to a lack of water supply.
“The fire service could not function effectively because there was no water. This made the situation worse,” he explained.
The inferno was eventually brought under control through the combined efforts of council staff and concerned residents who mobilised to prevent the fire from spreading further.
Useni disclosed that most of the administrative buildings within the secretariat complex were affected, with only a section of the chairman’s office spared.
“Almost all the administrative offices were damaged. Only a part of my office was not affected by the fire,” he said.
The chairman noted that the cause of the fire remains unknown, adding that investigations are ongoing to determine what triggered the incident.
“We are still trying to establish the cause of the fire. A committee will be set up to assess the extent of the damage and identify the source of the outbreak,” Useni stated.
He also revealed that the destruction has disrupted administrative operations and negatively impacted service delivery in the local government area.
“This incident has affected our ability to function effectively and serve the people,” he added.
Fortunately, no casualties were recorded during the fire outbreak.
