Fire outbreak in the National Assembly on Thursday during Senate’s session forced the upper Chamber to urgently adjourn sitting for the day.
It was gathered that fire broke out in a section of the technical room of the Senate wing.
The fire from the technical room – SB 63 – on the ground floor, had emitted smoke through the air conditioning system to the floor of the Upper Chamber. Staff were compelled to vacate their offices immediately to avert being enveloped by the smoke which was spread the vicinity.
Though the technical team put off the fire before it could spread wide, Senators, however, vacated the gallery and left the premises to save their lives.
It was said that Senators later resumed plenary but suspended had suspend further sitting on Thursday, adjourning to Tuesday. The senators observed that the atmosphere was not conducive for further legislative proceedings.
Senator Abdullahi Gobir (Sokoto-APC) had aised a point of order to observe that the chamber was not conducive for the lawmakers.
“The condition is not very conducive because our chambers are there. We engaged the contractors working in the Senate. We believe it is now Saturday they will be able to finish it,” he had noted.
President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, ruled that the session be adjourned while the repairs should be done over the weekend.
“What you presented to us makes sense. Definitely, the chamber is not conducive for today’s s activities and as such, I would direct that we adjourn till Tuesday so that between now and the weekend, the members of the services and maintenance unit can ensure that we bring the chamber into a conducive environment,” Saraki stated.