The Nigeria Labour Congress secretariat in Sokoto State has been destroyed by fire, with property and vital documents spanning over three decades lost in the incident.
The blaze, which reportedly broke out in the early hours of Saturday, razed the building before it was eventually brought under control.
The Secretary of the council, Hamisu Hussaini Hamisu, attributed the incident to a suspected electrical fault.
“We suspect it was caused by an electrical fault. By the time the fire was detected, it had already engulfed the building,” he said.
He lamented that office equipment and critical records were completely destroyed in the inferno.
“Everything was burnt. We lost computers, printers, refrigerators, televisions, furniture and important documents accumulated over many years. Nothing could be recovered,” he added.
Hamisu also disclosed that the security guard on duty made efforts to contain the fire but was unable to stop its rapid spread.
Sources said the fire started around 3am, while firefighters reportedly arrived about an hour later and succeeded in extinguishing the flames after significant damage had been done.
The incident has left the labour council grappling with losses, as members begin consultations on possible recovery and rebuilding plans.
