By Femi Anamelechi
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Western Marine Command, has officially confirmed the fire incident that occurred at its premises in Apapa, Lagos, on Monday, 28 September, 2026.The confirmation comes 24hrs after the incident was widely reported, with the Command now providing an official account of the outbreak, the extent of the impact and the status of its operations.This was disclosed in a press release issued on Tuesday, 29 September, the Acting Customs Public Relations Officer, Deputy Superintendent of Customs, Clarine Nwosu, said the fire was detected at about 10:35 a.m. within some offices of the Command, with thick smoke initially noticed coming from the newly constructed conference hall.According to the statement, officers on duty immediately activated emergency response protocols and made efforts to contain the fire before the arrival of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service.“The Command wishes to confirm that the fire incident occurred at the Command premises and that officers on duty immediately activated emergency response protocols,” the statement read.Nwosu noted that personnel of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service arrived at approximately 11:25 a.m. and successfully brought the fire under control.
She disclosed that a preliminary assessment showed that some property and office equipment within the Command premises were affected by the fire. However, she confirmed that no life was lost and no injury was recorded as a result of the incident.The Western Marine Command commended officers who responded to the incident as well as personnel of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service for containing the incident, while assuring stakeholders and members of the public that its core operations remain unaffected.While a committee has been constituted to investigate the immediate and remote causes of the fire and make appropriate recommendations to prevent a recurrence, the Command reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining high standards of safety, security and operational efficiency across its formations.
