Fire guts section of National Assembly building

A section of the Senate wing at the National Assembly building was engulfed in flames on Wednesday, shortly after a screening exercise for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) board concluded. The fire originated in the kitchen adjacent to Hearing Room 107, where senators had been vetting Zainab Marwa for the North-east representative position on the NDDC board.

Sources indicate that the incident was triggered by the explosion of a microwave oven that was left unattended in the committee room's kitchen compartment. The fire quickly spread, prompting an immediate evacuation of lawmakers, staff, and other occupants from the vicinity as smoke billowed from the affected area.

Fortunately, no casualties were recorded as a result of the fire. Crucially, no documents or valuable property were destroyed before emergency responders successfully extinguished the blaze. Senators Asuquo Ekpenyong and Salihu Mustapha were among those who remained at the scene, coordinating efforts to contain the fire and prevent its spread to other parts of the National Assembly complex.

The incident caused a temporary disruption but did not result in any loss of life or significant damage to the building's assets. The quick response of those present and the fire services ensured the situation was brought under control.

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Lawmakers, staff and other occupants in the vicinity hurried to safety after smoke was seen billowing from the committee room.