A fire incident on Monday morning affected a section of the building housing the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, triggering concern among workers and visitors within the Federal Secretariat complex. The blaze was reported to have started in the early hours of the morning at Section C of the multi-storey structure located inside the Federal Secretariat complex in Abuja. Eyewitness footage circulating on social media and recorded around 8:00 a.m. showed thick plumes of dark smoke rising from the upper floor of the building.
The video captured dense black smoke billowing into the sky, with the fire appearing to be concentrated in a particular wing of the structure. The affected building houses the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, one of the key administrative arms of the Federal Government of Nigeria responsible for coordinating the activities of the country’s civil service. Witnesses within the Federal Secretariat complex said the smoke became visible shortly after the start of the workday, drawing the attention of staff members and security officials who quickly raised the alarm.
Workers in nearby offices reportedly evacuated parts of the building as a precaution while emergency responders were alerted to the situation. Officials at the scene were said to be working to contain the blaze and prevent it from spreading to other sections of the large government complex. The Federal Secretariat in Abuja houses several ministries, departments and agencies of the Nigerian government, making it one of the busiest administrative centres in the country. Although the exact cause of the fire had not been immediately determined as of the time the incident came to public attention, authorities are expected to conduct an investigation to establish what triggered the outbreak.
There was no immediate official confirmation regarding possible casualties or the extent of damage caused by the fire. However, early reports suggested that the flames were confined to a specific wing of the building where the smoke was seen emerging. Emergency services and security personnel were reportedly deployed to the area to manage the situation and ensure the safety of workers and visitors within the complex. Further updates from relevant authorities are expected as efforts continue to fully contain the incident and assess the damage within the affected section of the building.
