A fire outbreak on Sunday gutted a section of the Rivers State Government Secretariat located in Port Harcourt, causing panic and raising questions about safety and emergency preparedness in the state capital.
The affected area is the office housing the Rivers State Pension Board, an important agency responsible for managing pensions and retirement benefits of civil servants in the state.
As of the time of filing this report, the cause of the fire is yet to be known. However, emergency responders from both the Rivers State Fire Service and the Federal Fire Service (FFS) quickly mobilised to the scene to contain the inferno and prevent further damage to nearby buildings.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Information, Honour Sirawoo, confirmed the incident but did not mention if there were any injuries or loss of life. “Firefighters are currently battling the flames. We will provide more details after full assessment,” Sirawoo said.
This fire incident comes at a time when Rivers State is already in the national spotlight. Just weeks ago, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu intervened in the political crisis in the state by recalling Governor Siminalayi Fubara from suspension, along with members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
It should be recalled that the President had earlier declared a state of emergency in Rivers State on March 18, 2025, due to rising political tensions and insecurity in the oil-rich region.
While it is not yet clear whether the fire is related to the ongoing political unrest, the timing has raised concerns among residents and observers. Some civil servants who spoke to reporters said they were lucky the fire started outside of office hours, otherwise it could have been more disastrous.
As investigations continue, the public is eagerly waiting for official statements on what led to the fire and whether sensitive government documents were lost in the incident.
