A fire outbreak has razed the building housing the Mobile Police 13 unit in Makurdi, Benue State, destroying offices and the unit’s armoury.
The Benue State Police Command confirmed the incident on Sunday, noting that investigations were ongoing to determine the cause and extent of the damage.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Udeme Edet, acknowledged the development but said full details were still being compiled.
“Yes, I am aware of the fire outbreak at the Mopol 13 facility in Makurdi, but I will get back to you,” she told journalists.
Sources said the fire broke out in the early hours of Sunday and spread rapidly, affecting several office rooms before reaching the armoury section of the facility.
An eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the fire started from one of the offices within the complex. He recalled, “I was on morning duty and at about 10 a.m. or thereabout, I saw smoke emanating from the Squadron Commander’s office.
“I tried to inquire, then the next thing I saw was heavy flame from the Squadron Commander’s office. Everything got burnt.
“I quickly called my boss, who later called for fire service men. But before the fire officials could arrive, the whole place had been engulfed by fire.”
As of the time of filing this report, the cause of the fire and the value of items lost were yet to be officially established.