By Asaye Bankole
A fire outbreak has damaged parts of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Western Marine Command office in Apapa, Lagos, with property worth millions of naira reportedly destroyed in the incident.
The fire broke out at approximately 10:23 a.m. on Monday, September 28, 2026, and was said to have started in the conference room following an electrical surge.
The flames quickly spread to other parts of the office building, prompting personnel on duty to launch an immediate effort to contain the situation.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Customs officers worked to prevent the fire from spreading further until the arrival of officials from the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service.
The firefighters reportedly arrived at about 10:45 a.m. and joined the Customs personnel in tackling the blaze.
The incident occurred shortly after Deputy Comptroller Timothy Jonah resumed at the command to formally take over from his predecessor.
Speaking on the development, Jonah described the fire as an unfortunate incident, particularly as it occurred on the day he assumed his new responsibility.
“I just resumed duty to take over, only to witness this fire outbreak,” he said.
Despite the incident, Jonah said the command would use the experience to review its operations and improve safety measures.
“Every challenge, though negative, is an opportunity to strengthen our operations,” he added.
The Customs officer announced that a committee would be constituted to investigate the circumstances surrounding the outbreak and establish the precise cause of the fire.
He also commended the officers who responded quickly when the fire started, as well as the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service for their intervention.
Jonah said the command would take additional steps to strengthen its safety protocols and minimise the possibility of a similar incident occurring in the future.
The full extent of the damage caused by the fire is yet to be determined, while the investigation is expected to provide more information on the cause of the electrical surge and the value of property affected.
COMMENTS