Some lawmakers in the House of Representatives and their legislative aides were forced to abruptly shut down their offices in the White House section of the National Assembly complex on Wednesday afternoon after a fire broke out at approximately 3:50pm.
According to reports from a Nigerian Tribune correspondent who was present at the scene, the fire started in Room 352, an Electrical Panel Room (ELV Room) located on the third floor of the new building.
Panic quickly spread as the fire ignited, but the Fire Service personnel stationed within the complex swiftly intervened.
They managed to gain access to the typically locked room, which is overseen by the Electrical Department, and began efforts to contain the blaze.
As part of safety measures to prevent the fire from spreading, the electrical connections throughout the new building were cut off, which also led to the shutdown of the lifts.
The incident prompted an evacuation, with banks and other businesses operating in the building halting their services immediately as the situation unfolded.
At the time of this report, Fire Service personnel were still on-site, searching for the on-duty electrician to ensure that all electrical connections were properly controlled and secured to prevent further incidents.