The Nigerian Armed Forces says its attention has been drawn to the news going around in some quarters and online media about the alleged burning down of a pharmaceutical store in Ondo state.
The Coordinator Defence Media Operations, Major General John Enenche said the alleged publication is mischievous and unfounded.
Major General John Enenche said a fire outbreak was reported along Omonira Street, Igbokoda in Ondo State as the fire gutted a small medicine shop built with block and wood.
He noted that it was reported that the owner, as with others, on sighting Nigerian Navy patrol vehicle while enforcing the 7:00 pm curfew imposed by the state, ran into the shop and exited through the back door of the shop.
According to him, at that point, the shop was observed to have caught fire.
He said “the team sighted the fire and approached to find out the cause and render assistance.”
He noted some mischief makers have alleged that the Navy Team set the shop on fire in order to create bad image for the service and the Armed Forces.
Enenche said that “while the fire was still raging, an Investigation Team from the Naval Base, along with the Department of State Service in Ondo State, visited the scene of the incident and discovered a camp gas with pot on it and a gallon close by, adding that it was obvious the shop owner was cooking at the time of the incident while an inflammable substance (either kerosene or PMS) inside the gallon was close by”.
He said “An on the spot inspection showed that in the process of running out, the shop owner might have inadvertently tripped the naked flame from the cooking gas which triggered the fire incident”.
In addition, the wooden structure of the building aided the inferno.
He called on the general public to disregard the false information being circulated as published by some online media adding that media houses should verify information from appropriate quarters before publishing.
Source: VON
