A fire outbreak has destroyed property worth millions of naira at the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Western Marine Command office in Apapa, Lagos, shortly after a newly deployed deputy comptroller assumed duty at the command.
The incident occurred on Monday morning, September 28, 2026, with the fire reportedly breaking out at about 10:23 a.m. following an electrical surge in the conference room.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the flames spread from the conference room to other sections of the building, causing extensive damage.
Officers on duty reportedly made efforts to contain the fire before personnel of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service arrived at about 10:45 a.m. to join the firefighting operation.
Timothy Jonah, the Deputy Comptroller of Customs who had just resumed duty to take over from his predecessor, described the incident as unfortunate.
“I just resumed duty to take over, only to witness this fire outbreak,” Jonah said.
Despite the damage, he said the incident presented an opportunity for the command to strengthen its operations and improve its safety procedures.
“Every challenge, though negative, is an opportunity to strengthen our operations,” he added.
Jonah disclosed that the command would establish a committee to investigate the cause of the fire and determine the circumstances surrounding the outbreak.
“In the meantime, we will set up a committee to investigate the cause of the fire,” he said.
He also commended the officers who responded to the emergency and their collaboration with the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service.
The deputy comptroller assured that the command would take additional measures to strengthen safety protocols and prevent a recurrence.
