Abuja – February 14, 2024 – Viewpoint Housing News.
Early on Tuesday morning, a fire that broke out at the new Kwara State High Court building, situated in the Government Reservation Area of the state capital of Ilorin, destroyed files pertaining to past cases.
Due to fire damage to the main building, which included court rooms, the litigation department and offices inside the court complex, judges were unable to perform their regularly scheduled court sessions.
The 40 offices, three open courtrooms, registration department, and litigation offices of the High Court were allegedly severely damaged by the fire, which was discovered at about 7.25 am.
The State Fire Service reported that the increase in the area’s energy supply was the cause of the fire occurrence.
According to a statement issued by Hassan Adekunle, Head of Media and Publicity for the Kwara State Fire Service, which verified the fire occurrence, the firemen were notified of the fire via a distress call, to which they reacted.
“The Kwara State Fire Service got a distress call about a fire situation at the State High Court in Ilorin on the morning of February 13, 2024, at 07:33 hours.
The magnificent State High Court building was on fire when the fire department arrived on the scene, reacting quickly. This forty-office structure with three open courtrooms was in danger; the fire primarily damaged the litigation office and register department.
The firemen prevented what could have been a devastating loss by rescuing the State High Court from utter ruin, despite the enormous hurdles they encountered.
Adekunle asserted that further research into the fire’s origin showed that a power surge was the culprit, underscoring the significance of electrical safety precautions.
“This call to action underscores the critical role that vigilance and preparedness play in preventing such tragedies from occurring in the future,” the statement added, quoting Prince Falade Olumuyiwa, the state director of fire service, as pleading with the public to prioritise safety awareness and precautions in their daily lives.
As soon as the fire was out, Justice Abiodun Adebara, the state’s chief judge, paid a visit to the burned-out structure.
An employee of the state judiciary who pleaded anonymity bemoaned the destruction the fire did to the court’s property and mentioned how much it damaged the litigation department.
“The fire severely damaged some of the files from cases that were over 40 years old,” he claimed, affecting the litigation department.
Another fire event happened in Ilorin on Monday night, entirely consuming a structure with 15 rooms and a business.
