Presidential spokesman Garba Shehu has spoken on the fire outbreak that occurred at State House on Saturday, asserting that the fire outbreak did not reach inside Aso Rock.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Mr. Shehu speculated that the fire may have been caused by a discarded cigarette, adding that investigation into the incident is ongoing.

“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,” Mr. Shehu said via his official twitter handle.

On March 6, there were multiple reports of a fire burning surrounding shrubbery in the perimeter between the outer wire fence and walls surrounding Aso Villa, towards the Asokoro area of the city.

In a similar situation, Mr. Shehu described the fire outbreak near the Aso Villa chapel in June 2020 as a “minor” fire outbreak, triggered by an electrical spark.

Mr. Shehu once in the past claimed rats chased the president from his office, preventing Nigeria’s Commander-in-Chief from resuming at his desk after returning from long weeks of holidays abroad.