Millions of naira worth of property was reportedly lost in a fire resulting from a gas explosion that struck a residential building housing shops in the Jamata community of Lokoja Local Government Area, Kogi State.

The incident was said to have occurred on Wednesday night when a gas cylinder exploded in one of the shops below the building causing a fire that completely razed the building.

The Executive Secretary of Kogi State Emergency Management Agency, Alhaji Muktar Atimah, disclosed this on Thursday shortly after visiting the victims alongside the Lokoja LGA chairman, Abdullahi Ademu, and the management team of SEMA.

The ES said the visit was to show the commitment of the state government led by Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo towards the welfare and security of its citizens, hence the immediate response to disasters within the state.

According to him, “Property and goods worth millions of naira were consumed in the inferno and several people were displaced from their homes.”

He assured the victims that the government stood with them during these trying times adding that the government would support the victims in every way it could.

During the assessment visit, the Lokoja LGA caretaker chairman donated the sum of N1m to the victims promising to continue to support them and the community at large in any way he could.

The Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly, represented by the member representing Lokoja 1, Tijanni Ebayo, commiserated with the victims and assured them that government support would come timely too.

The Royal Father of the Jamata community, HRH Mall. Ibrahim Okura Mammud, appreciated the efforts of the state government through SEMA saying the people had faith and maintained confidence in the government.

Also in the entourage was the Special Adviser to the Governor on the State Emergency Management Agency, Dr Sandra Musa, and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Emergency Management, Alhaji Shuaibu Mohammed.