IBADAN, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA) – The Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly, Mathew Kolawole, has reacted to the fire that gutted the state assembly complex on Monday, 10 October, 2022.
Kolawole blamed sabotage for the early morning inferno that razed the hallowed chamber of the Assembly.
According to reports, the fire started in the early hours of Monday and continued until 8am when a fire engine belonging to Dangote Cement, Obajana, arrived to extinguish the fire.
Speaking with journalists at the premises of the assembly complex on Monday, the Speaker expressed deep concern over the the incident.
He said he could not specifically say who might have been responsible for the fire outbreak.
“I can’t say categorically who might have been responsible. I will urge us to wait until the security operatives concluded their investigation and send us their reports.”
Meanwhile, a senior member of staff of the assembly, who does not want his name in print, said the fire might have come from an explosive planted by a suspected saboteur.
“Only an explosive can cause a crack in the wall such as the one in hallow chamber,” he noted.
A statement issued later in the day by the state Commissioner for information, Kingsley Fanwo, confirming the incident said security and technical experts were currently working hard to unravel the cause(s) of the inferno which has caused significant damage to the Complex.
“The State Government will inform the general public of findings as they unfold.
He said the state government will also make provision for temporary arrangements to ensure legislative business is not completely halted as a result of the unfortunate incident.
Meanwhile, Kogi State Government has said that it has commenced an investigation into the cause of the fire incident that razed the state Assembly complex.
The state’s Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, in a statement, said experts were currently working to unravel the cause.
“This is to inform the people of Kogi State and indeed Nigerians that the Kogi State House of Assembly has been razed down by fire.
“Security and technical experts are currently working hard to unravel the cause (s) of the inferno which has caused significant damage to the complex.
“The state government will inform the general public of findings as they unfold,” the statement read.
The government further urged the general public to be calm, law-abiding and resist the temptation of being lawless, adding that the “government is capable of dealing with the likely outcome of the investigations.”
“The State Government will also make provision for temporary arrangements to ensure legislative business is not completely halted as a result of the unfortunate incident.”