A fire outbreak has destroyed a 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, Mr Bala Useni, said the fire broke out shortly after he left the secretariat for an official engagement.
Useni explained that he was alerted to the incident by a security operative of the Taraba State Security Marshal, prompting immediate efforts to contain the blaze.
According to him, initial attempts to extinguish the fire were unsuccessful as the Federal University Wukari Fire Service could not effectively respond due to the absence of water.
“The situation was eventually brought under control through the combined efforts of council staff and concerned members of the public,” he said.
The chairman disclosed that most of the administrative buildings within the secretariat complex were affected by the inferno, while only a section of his office was spared.
He added that the cause of the fire was yet to be determined, noting that investigations were ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Useni further stated that the destruction had disrupted administrative activities and negatively impacted service delivery in the local government area.
To address the situation, he said a committee would be set up to assess the extent of the damage and ascertain the cause of the fire outbreak.
No casualties were recorded during the incident.
