Relief materials worth millions of naira have been razed in the Cross River State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, stores following a fire outbreak on Saturday evening.
The fire which started at about 7 pm razed several bags of rice, gallons of vegetable, cartons of biscuits and noodles kept in the warehouse to await distribution
At press time, Princewill Anyim, acting Director General of the Agency, was yet to arrive the place, located inside the premises of the Nigerian Chronicle along Barracks Road, but a staff narrated that the fire is a mystery as there has been no electricity supply to the warehouse in the past five years nor is there any form of flame close by that could ignite the fire outbreak.
“We are all surprised how fire got into the place because we have not had electricity in the warehouse in the past five years”, he volunteered.
He said the items burnt were supplied by NIMASA on Tuesday last week and plans were afoot to distribute them when the inferno occurred. The staff also said he suspected arson by hoodlums who may have invaded the place on getting wind of the supply of items to the Agency and added that the security situation in the premises is very porous.
“Last night an air conditioner was removed by hoodlums and I suspect they came from the adjoining bushes close to the Bogobiri area. In the past we usually engaged the services of policeman but for sometimes now we have not had imprest so could not pay the torchlight and transport allowance of policemen so they stopped coming”.
He said a wall is being erected to fence off the items remaining before they are carted away at night.
Credit: Emmanuel Unah
