The Minister of State for Petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu, on Monday confirmed that there was a fire incident at his Abuja residence as circulated on social media.
Kachikwu
TORI News
had reported earlier today that he Minster of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu's Abuja home, reportedly caught fire on Sunday evening.
It was gathered that the fire started in his bedroom as a result of a suspected electrical fault to the air conditioners, sources in the know said.
While speaking to Premium Times over the incident, the minister's spokesperson, Idang Alibi, said at 5:00 p.m. on Monday that the report of fire incident which is making the rounds on social media, was “nothing serious.”
He said, “It was a mere power surge that was contained immediately.”
The spokesperson said no one was hurt during the incident, which he said occurred between Sunday night and Monday morning and blamed on a faulty electric cable in his principal’s bedroom.
Kachikwu was not at home during the outbreak, but it was contained within a few minutes by police guard and others who were at the property located in the highbrow Asokoro neighbourhood.
The development comes amidst raging controversy over the October 3 leakage of a memo which Kachikwu addressed to President Buhari about alleged infractions at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.
“No foul play was suspected in the fire incident,” Alibi said.