Fire on Monday gutted the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Western Marine Command office in Apapa, Lagos, destroying property worth millions of naira.
The fire, which reportedly started at about 10:23am following an electrical surge in the conference room, spread to other sections of the building.
According to reports, officers on duty made efforts to contain the fire before officials of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service arrived at about 10:45 am
Confirming the incident to journalists, the Deputy Comptroller of Customs, Timothy Jonah, who had just resumed at the command to take over from his predecessor, described the incident as unfortunate.
He said: “I just resumed duty to take over, only to witness this fire outbreak.
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“Every challenge, though negative, is an opportunity to strengthen our operations.
“In the meantime, we will set up a committee to investigate the cause of the fire.”
Jonah commended the swift response of personnel on duty and their collaboration with the fire service, saying measures would be taken to strengthen safety protocols and prevent a recurrence.