A devastating fire engulfed the Cross River State High Court in Ogoja on Sunday evening, leaving the building completely destroyed. The incident, which occurred around 7 p.m., has raised concerns and speculation about its cause.
Eyewitnesses reported that the court, located in the Government Reserved Area (GRA) of Ogoja, was entirely consumed by the blaze, leaving nothing salvageable. Sani Mohammed, a witness, ruled out bush burning or electrical faults as possible causes, noting that the area around the court is free of dry grass and Ogoja experiences limited power supply.
“The front of the court is tarred, and the back is far from any bush or dry grass, so it cannot be bush burning. There was no power supply at that time either. Many suspect this could be the act of someone with a pending case in the court,” Mohammed stated.
Efforts by locals to contain the fire were futile due to the absence of fire service personnel and functional equipment. Mohammed expressed frustration, saying:
“There was no fire service available, even though their office is near the court. Unfortunately, the facility is in a deplorable state and lacks adequate funding. We tried using buckets of water to douse the flames, but it was overwhelming. It’s heartbreaking.”
Cletus Makers, the Comptroller of the Federal Fire Service in Cross River, highlighted the severe lack of resources.
“The only fire truck in the entire state is stationed in Calabar, which is about 200 kilometers from Ogoja. Even if we attempted to respond, the logistics and equipment constraints make it almost impossible,” Makers lamented.
State Police Commissioner CP Augustine Grimah confirmed that the incident would be investigated as a potential case of arson.
