A fire outbreak on Monday evening destroyed a section of the Podium Block at the Rivers State Secretariat Complex in Port Harcourt, damaging several properties, including offices of the Rivers State Pension Board.
According to Mediaplusng.com, the Head of Service, Dr. (Mrs.) Iyingi Brown, said in a voice note that the fire started as a result of an electrical fault. Firefighters from the State Fire Service, Federal Fire Service, and the military responded swiftly and were able to extinguish the flames before they spread to other parts of the complex.
The incident happened only a few days after Governor Siminalayi Fubara dissolved the Rivers State Pension Board without giving any reason. It also followed the governor’s recent warning to permanent secretaries over poor performance during the period of emergency rule in the state.
Though there is no official connection between the fire and the board’s dissolution, the timing has sparked public curiosity, with some residents questioning whether it was a coincidence or an attempt to destroy sensitive documents.
According to Mediaplusng.com, both the police and the state government are expected to conduct a thorough investigation to determine the exact cause of the fire and assess the extent of the damage.
