ASO ROCK FIRE CAUSED BY BURNING CIGARETTE ~Presidency opens up …clarifies that fire not inside Villa

The Presidency has come out to clarify the fire outbreak that allegedly engulfed the Aso Rock Villa on Saturday.

A statement signed by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu on Sunday, said the reported fire outbreak occurred outside the perimeter fence of the seat of power; not inside the presidential (Aso Rock) Villa.

The statement obtained by Brave Views quoted the Presidency as saying that the fire was possibly caused by a passerby, who dropped a lit cigarette.

Garba Shehu disclosed that the fire was contained adding that no life was lost in the incident.

Read parts of the statement below:

“People in the country and even abroad have been expressing concerns over reports of a fire incident in Aso Rock Villa, the seat of the Nigerian government.

“I would like to clarify that there was no fire inside the Presidential Villa.

“In the evening of Saturday, March 6, a fire broke out burning shrubs between the outer wire fence and walls surrounding the Villa, precisely in the area between the Villa and the Barracks, towards Asokoro.

“The fire, as being speculated, might have started from a passerby dropping a burning cigarette. The Federal Fire Service will ascertain the reason for it when they complete their investigation.

“It suffices to say that this bush fire, which started and ended outside the perimeter walls of the Villa, was seamlessly contained by fire stations of the State House and the one nearby from the Federal Fire Service. No loss of life, no loss whatsoever to building and property was recorded.

“We thank well-meaning Nigerians for expressed concerns.”