A section of the multi-million naira
hilltop mansion of former President Olusegun Obasanjo in Abeokuta, the Ogun
State capital, was yesterday gutted by fire.
The incident, which occurred about 4:30 p.m., generated anxiety among residents of the hilltop estate.
The Nigerian Compass gathered that the fire, which raged for about one hour, started from the office of the secretary to the ex-president.
It destroyed several documents and other valuable items in the office.
Men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Ogun State Fire Service, Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and State Security Service (SSS) battled to contain the fire from spreading to other parts of the mansion.
In the process of putting out the fire, an unidentified NSCDC official was said to have sustained some injuries.
Obasanjo, however, attempted to downplay the fire incident. Speaking with reporters, the former president, in his characteristic comical manner, commented on the incident with a song, saying it was only the office of his secretary that was burnt.
Dancing, he sang in Yoruba, urging journalists around to follow suit: ‘Ile Obasanjo to jo, ewa lobu kun, ile Obasanjo to jo, ewa lobu kun. Eyin press e ma wibe, ewa lobu kun’ (Obasanjo's burnt house will be rebuilt with opulence, Obasanjo's burnt house will be rebuilt with opulence. You journalists sing after me. Will be rebuilt with opulence).
Also speaking, the factional state Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Dipo Odujirin, attributed the fire incident to "an electrical fault."
Odujinrin, however, expressed gratitude to God that no life was lost in the incident.
The incident, which occurred about 4:30 p.m., generated anxiety among residents of the hilltop estate.
The Nigerian Compass gathered that the fire, which raged for about one hour, started from the office of the secretary to the ex-president.
It destroyed several documents and other valuable items in the office.
Men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Ogun State Fire Service, Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and State Security Service (SSS) battled to contain the fire from spreading to other parts of the mansion.
In the process of putting out the fire, an unidentified NSCDC official was said to have sustained some injuries.
Obasanjo, however, attempted to downplay the fire incident. Speaking with reporters, the former president, in his characteristic comical manner, commented on the incident with a song, saying it was only the office of his secretary that was burnt.
Dancing, he sang in Yoruba, urging journalists around to follow suit: ‘Ile Obasanjo to jo, ewa lobu kun, ile Obasanjo to jo, ewa lobu kun. Eyin press e ma wibe, ewa lobu kun’ (Obasanjo's burnt house will be rebuilt with opulence, Obasanjo's burnt house will be rebuilt with opulence. You journalists sing after me. Will be rebuilt with opulence).
Also speaking, the factional state Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Dipo Odujirin, attributed the fire incident to "an electrical fault."
Odujinrin, however, expressed gratitude to God that no life was lost in the incident.
Compass
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