A wing of the Supreme Court complex in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, was engulfed by fire on Monday morning. The fire was brought under control without any casualties, but it is unclear whether any sensitive documents or files were destroyed.
A source told Vanguard newspaper that the fire was likely caused by an electrical malfunction in one of the offices in the administrative wing of the court. The source confirmed that three offices, including that of Justice Mohammed Saulawa, were affected by the fire.
Festus Akande, the Supreme Court’s Public Relations Officer, said that the fire would not have any impact on the presidential election petition, which is currently being heard by the court. Speaking in an interview on Arise TV, a leading private TV channel in Nigeria, Akande said that the fire only affected a chamber equipped with a computer and other equipment, as well as a library used by any justice occupying such chamber.
“The only thing that was affected were the books and computer equipment in the chamber. Even the books are replaceable,” Akande said. “Also, it has nothing to do with [the presidential election petition] because it was from an electrical fault, which could happen anywhere, and there are things that happen daily.”
