Salifu disclosed this on Thursday, October 22, during a visit to the electronics mall to inspect the affected premises and assess the extent of the losses.

The deputy governor said he informed Ododo shortly after receiving news of the fire on Wednesday evening, prompting the governor to direct him to visit the scene and evaluate the situation firsthand.

During the visit, Salifu commended firefighters, security agencies and residents of Lokoja for their intervention, noting that their efforts helped rescue goods from the affected building and limit the damage.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Peelinks Electronics Limited, Peter Onujeme, said he received a call from a staff member at about 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday informing him that the roof of the mall was on fire.

Onujeme suspected that a power surge might have triggered the incident, explaining that electricity supply to the premises had been fluctuating before the fire broke out. However, the actual cause had not been officially established.

He said the full value of the destroyed goods was yet to be determined but estimated the losses at hundreds of millions of naira.

The business owner praised the fire service for its response and expressed appreciation to the police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and residents who helped rescue goods from the building.

He also thanked the Kogi State Government for its concern, saying the deputy governor’s visit offered reassurance to the company’s management during the difficult period.

In a further development on Friday, October 23, the Kogi State Government announced that it had commenced an investigation to determine the cause of the fire and identify factors that may have contributed to the extent of the damage.

The state’s Consultant on Safety Standards, Regulations and Compliance, Elder Dr Friday Sani, said preliminary findings pointed to possible lapses in compliance with safety standards. He stressed that the investigation was ongoing and that a comprehensive report would be made public after its conclusion.

The preliminary observations do not yet amount to a final determination of responsibility or the cause of the outbreak.

The incident has renewed attention on fire prevention and safety measures in commercial buildings, particularly establishments dealing in electrical and electronic products. The government said the investigation would help establish what happened and guide measures to prevent similar incidents.

Peelinks Electronics Limited is a major electronics shopping destination in Lokoja. The extent of the financial losses and the final findings on the cause of the fire remain subject to further assessment.

Reporting by TalkNaijaMedia