Fire outside Aso Rock, here's why

Contrary to reports concerning a fire outbreak in Aso Rock, the nation's seat of power, on the night of Saturday, March 6, 2021, the presidency has said there was no such incident.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu in a statement on Sunday said, ‘there was no fire inside the Presidential Villa.”

Garba, however, clarified that what was speculated to be a fire outbreak around Aso Rock was a bush fire in the area between the Villa and the Barracks, towards Asokoro.

He said, “People in the country and even abroad have been expressing concerns over reports of a fire incident in Aso Rock Villa, the seat of the Nigerian government. I would like to clarify that there was no fire inside the Presidential Villa.

“In the evening of Saturday, March 6, a fire broke out, burning shrubs between the outer wire fence and walls surrounding the Villa, precisely in the area between the Villa and the Barracks, towards Asokoro.

“The fire, as being speculated, might have started from a passerby dropping a burning cigarette. The Federal Fire Service will ascertain the reason for it when they complete their investigation.

“It suffices to say that this bush fire, which started and ended outside the perimeter walls of the Villa, was seamlessly contained by fire stations of the State House and the one nearby from the Federal Fire Service. No loss of life, no loss whatsoever to building and property was recorded.”

The incident comes nine months after a fire incident near the Aso Rock villa chapel in 2020.