JUST IN: SMOKE SCARE AT NATIONAL ASSEMBLY AS FIRE BREAKS OUT IN SENATE HEARING ROOM

SMOKE SCARE AT NATIONAL ASSEMBLY AS FIRE BREAKS OUT IN SENATE HEARING ROOM

A brief fire incident on Wednesday caused panic at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja after smoke was reported inside a Senate committee hearing room, disrupting activities momentarily before being swiftly contained.

The incident occurred at Hearing Room 107 shortly after the Senate Committee on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) concluded the screening of Dr. Zainab Marwa, a nominee representing the North-East on the commission’s board.

Eyewitness accounts and initial reports indicated that the fire is believed to have started from the kitchen section within the hearing room. However, it was quickly brought under control before it could spread to other parts of the Senate wing or cause structural damage.

Senators Asuquo Ekpenyong and Salihu Mustapha were among those who reportedly intervened alongside other officials to help manage the situation and prevent escalation.

Preliminary information suggested that a microwave left running in the kitchen area may have triggered the incident. Authorities have not yet issued a formal technical report confirming the exact cause.

No casualties or injuries were recorded, and normal legislative activities reportedly resumed shortly after the fire was extinguished.

However, there were claims that journalists present at the scene were later instructed by officials to delete photos and videos captured during the incident, though this has not been officially addressed by the National Assembly management.

Security and facility management personnel are expected to conduct further inspections of the complex to prevent similar incidents in the future.