The Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone A of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Ikeja, Lagos last Friday recorded a major fire out break which led to massive destruction of seized goods at the Government Warehouse and a wing of the Customs Training College classroom Ikeja.
The fire which broke out at about 2200hrs on that fateful night spread to Annexes A and B as well as the inner chamber of the Government Warehouse, housing most of the seized items which included but not limited to jumbo bales of second hand clothing, used female shoes and bags, used tyres, vegetable oils and other general merchandise.
A release signed by the Unit’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mr. Uche Ejesieme indicated that the cause of the inferno could not be ascertained immediately as the interim reports from Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) and Lagos State Fire Service were still being awaited.
Ejesieme recalled that the attention of the Lagos State Fire Service and Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) were drawn few minutes into the incidence adding that the duo responded swiftly and made spirited effort to control the inferno by bringing in excavators, fire vehicles and other equipment.
While pointing out that the Unit could not give the exact figure of goods destroyed in monetary terms, except when the internal auditors move in to check the books, the Unit’s spokesman disclosed that the internal auditors visited the Government Warehouse for inspection and auditing of records recently.
“We therefore, wish to clarify that neither the report nor any other classified document was affected by the inferno.
“We wish to further state that the items/materials that were being delivered to IDP camps in Borno State which were kept in a different wing of the warehouse in line with the Presidential directive were not affected. In fact, the Unit had delivered almost 90% of the items and delivery is still ongoing.
“We wish to commend the effort of the Lagos State Fire Service and Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), for their proactive effort in containing the fire incidence.
“Infact, as at the time of this report, the officials are still at the scene trying to completely put off the fire. Further report regarding this incidence will be communicated to the media accordingly”, he said.
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