Lawyers scamper for safety as fire guts Supreme Court in Abuja

A mysterious fire on Monday was spotted at the Supreme Court in Abuja, forcing a 7-man panel of Justices headed by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Dahiru Musdapher, to scamper for safety.

According to reports, the apex court was on the verge of concluding the hearing on a suit involving First Bank of Nigeria when a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Amechi Nwaiwu, SAN, spotted the uncanny fire that was gradually engulfing the left wing of the court.

The development occasioned palpable panic in the court room which was full to capacity with over fifteen SANs in attendance due to some political matters slated for hearing today.

On sensing that the fire was becoming menacing, the CJN ordered a stand down of the case, as the seven justices hurriedly retired to their chambers, with SANs and other court users scampering for safety through the double exit points in the court.

It took the effort of lawyers and court officials to curtail the situation, though its remote cause has remained a mystery.

Blaming it on the electrical wiring system in the court, a clerk who spoke to Vanguard decried that occasional spark of flames during proceeding has been a recurring decimals at the apex court since last year.

The court abruptly rose around 11:55 am due to the ugly incident and reconvened around 12:20 pm.

Those in court included Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, the national President of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Chief J.B Daudu, SAN, Dr Alex Iziyon, SAN, Chief Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, Yusuf Ali, SAN, among others.