A raging fire has destroyed the Nigeria Labour Congress secretariat in Sokoto, reducing decades of property and vital records to ashes.
The blaze reportedly broke out around 3:00 a.m., sweeping through the building before firefighters later brought it under control.
The Secretary of the council, Hamisu Hussaini Hamisu, said the incident was believed to have been caused by an electrical spark.
‘We suspect an electrical fault triggered the fire. Before anyone could respond, it had spread rapidly through the office,’ he said.
According to him, the inferno destroyed computers, printers, refrigerators, televisions, office furniture, and sensitive documents preserved for more than 30 years.
‘We have lost everything. Records gathered over decades are gone, and no item was recovered,’ Hamisu lamented.
He added that the security guard on duty tried to contain the flames but could not stop the fast-moving fire.
Witnesses said firefighters arrived about an hour later and succeeded in extinguishing the blaze.
The total destruction has left members of the labour council devastated, with efforts now expected to focus on rebuilding the secretariat and replacing the lost records.