Documents destroyed as fire guts Customs office in Lagos

A fire on Monday gutted the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Western Marine Command office in Apapa, Lagos, destroying property worth millions of naira, including important documents.
The fire, which reportedly started at about 10:23am following an electrical surge in the conference room, spread to other sections of the building.
Officers on duty made frantic efforts to contain the blaze before personnel of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service arrived at about 10:45am to join the firefighting operation.
The incident occurred shortly after the new Deputy Comptroller of the command, Timothy Jonah, assumed duty to take over from his predecessor.
Describing the incident as unfortunate, Jonah said, “I just assumed duty to take over, only to witness this fire outbreak.
“Every challenge, though negative, is an opportunity to strengthen our operations.
“In the meantime, we will set up a committee to investigate the cause of the fire.”
Jonah commended the officers on duty for their swift response and collaboration with the Fire Service, saying the command would strengthen its safety protocols to prevent a recurrence.
The extent of the damage was yet to be officially ascertained at the time of filing this report.