Fire Breaks Out at Customs Office in Lagos

A fire on Monday burned the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Western Marine Command office in Apapa, Lagos. The damage is worth millions of naira.

The fire started around 10:23 am due to an electrical surge in the conference room. It quickly spread to other parts of the building.

The News Agency of Nigeria says officers on duty tried hard to put out the fire before the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service arrived at about 10:45 am.

Timothy Jonah, the Deputy Comptroller of Customs, had just started at the command. He called the fire incident unfortunate. He said, "I just resumed duty to take over, only to witness this fire outbreak."

Jonah added, "Every challenge, though negative, is an opportunity to strengthen our operations."

He also mentioned that they would set up a committee to look into what caused the fire. Jonah praised the quick actions of the officers and their teamwork with the fire service.

He said measures will be taken to improve safety protocols and avoid similar incidents in the future.