The Sokoto State Secretariat of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has been razed down by a midnight fire barely 24 hours after workers celebrated the annual International Workers’ Day.
The State NLC Secretariat, located adjacent the head office of the West African Examination Council and few meters away from the zonal office of Independent And Economic Crimes Commission (ICPC) and that of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was said to been engulfed with the fire at about 3am Friday midnight.
Speaking on the incident, some who claimed to have rushed to the place that night narrated how furious the fire was.
“When we saw the huge bright fire accompanied by thick smoke coming from that direction, we rushed to the place. But while there, we could do literally little because of the intensity of the fire”, one of the eyewitnesses said.
Continuing, another eyewitness said even before assistance could come, the entire building has already been razed down into ruins.
Decrying the development, one of the members of the state NLC said, the incident was a serious devastating set back for the vibrant union, as according to him, office equipment, critical documents, and other valuables, in the union operations are lost to the incident.
When asked what could be the likely cause of the fire outbreak, one of the NLC officials who preferred not to be mentioned said, it must be power related. This according to him was because the rate at which power fluctuates contributes largely to majority of the fire incidences in Sokoto State.
Expressing his concern over the ugly development, Sokoto State NLC Chairman, Comrade Abdullahi Aliyu, popularly known as “Jungle, said the incident was really unfortunate and disheartening.
“This is a painful loss for the labour movement in Sokoto. The extent of destruction is enormous, and it comes at a time we were just reflecting on the significance of workers’ welfare and unity,” Jungle appealed.
As investigations to unravel the remote cause of the fire incidence commenced, labour leaders and concerned citizens are urging authorities to ensure a thorough probe, while also calling for immediate support to rebuild the secretariat and restore union activities in Sokoto.
