The Kogi State House of Assembly hallow chamber was destroyed by fire on Monday, though the cause of the fire has not been determined.
It took the intervention of Dangote Group firefighters for two hours to prevent the fire from spreading to the entire House of Assembly.
One of the Assembly’s security guards said that the fire started in the middle of the night but became visible around 7 a.m. on Monday.
The Hallow Chamber, press gallery, and some offices were completely destroyed by the fire in the Assembly.
Top government officials who visited the scene included the Speaker of the House, Prince Mathew Kolawole, and the State Security Adviser, Commander Jerry Omodara.
Kolawole told journalists in Lokoja that he suspects sabotage. He, however, stated that he has no idea where the suspected sabotage is coming from.
When asked if it was related to the recent incident between the Assembly and the Dangote Group, the Speaker said it was up to the security agencies to determine based on their investigation.
“We should leave security people to do their work and give us a report going forward,” the Speaker said.
In response to the incident, Kogi State Deputy Governor, Edward Onoja, stated that the state government is unable to determine the causes of the fire.
Admitting that the Assembly suffered massive damage as a result of the fire, Onoja stated that the state government has ordered a full investigation, assuring that the remote cause will be discovered very soon.
He emphasized that the fire that destroyed the Assembly was the first in the life of the current administration led by Governor Yahaya Bello.
According to the deputy governor, the state government will provide a way for Assembly members to continue their legislative duties as prescribed by law.
Onoja also stated that the Bello administration will continue to fight for citizens’ rights, and that the government will not give up its efforts to develop the state.
