A fire outbreak on Saturday afternoon razed four of five blocks of three-bedroom flats in the highbrow Asokoro district of Abuja, destroying valuables worth millions of naira.

The affected property is reportedly owned by a former governor of Zamfara State, Senator Ahmed Yerima.

The fire was first noticed on solar panels mounted on the roof of the building located at No. 13 Nelson Mandela Street, before it quickly spread and engulfed most of the structure.

According to a statement signed by the Head of Public Affairs of the FCT Emergency Management Department FEMD, Nkechi Isa, the incident was reported to authorities at about 1pm, prompting an immediate emergency response.

Providing further details, the Head of FEMD’s Search and Rescue Team, Monday Addie, said the four affected flats were completely burnt, with furniture, clothing, food items and other personal effects destroyed, while the swift intervention of emergency personnel prevented casualties and further spread of the fire.

Emergency responders drawn from FEMD, the Federal Fire Service, the FCT Fire Service, the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, and the FCT Police Command were deployed to the scene to contain the inferno and secure the area.