A fire outbreak on Monday evening gutted part of the Podium Block at the Rivers State Secretariat Complex in Port Harcourt, destroying several properties.
The affected section reportedly includes offices of the Rivers State Pension Board.
According to the Head of Service, Iyingi Brown, who spoke in a voice note sent to Channels Television, the fire was caused by an electrical fault.
She said operatives of the State Fire Service, Federal Fire Service, and the military collaborated to bring the blaze under control.
The incident came just days after Governor Siminalayi Fubara dissolved the Rivers State Pension Board without providing reasons for the decision.
It also followed his recent warning to permanent secretaries who allegedly fell short of civil service standards during the period of emergency rule in the state.
While no official connection has been established between the board’s dissolution and the fire, the timing of the incident has fueled public speculation about whether it was merely coincidental or a deliberate attempt to destroy sensitive documents.
(Channels TV)
