By Ayomide Otitoju
A fire outbreak on Monday evening razed part of the Podium Block at the Rivers State Secretariat Complex in Port Harcourt, destroying properties and affecting offices within the section that houses the Rivers State Pension Board.
The Head of Service, Iyingi Brown, confirmed the incident in a voice note sent to Channels Television, attributing the cause of the blaze to an electrical fault.
According to her, firefighters from the State Fire Service, Federal Fire Service, and the military jointly battled the flames before successfully bringing the situation under control.
The incident occurred just days after Governor Siminalayi Fubara dissolved the Rivers State Pension Board without providing reasons for the decision. It also came shortly after the governor cautioned permanent secretaries who, he said, failed to uphold civil service standards during the period of emergency rule in the state — warning that their actions could be used against them in the future.
While no official link has been established between the board’s dissolution and the fire, the timing has sparked public speculation about whether the blaze was accidental or a deliberate attempt to destroy sensitive documents.
Authorities from the state government and the police are expected to launch a full investigation to determine the exact cause of the incident.
