Fire on Saturday razed Bende Customary Court and some office blocks at the Bende Local Government Area of Abia State.

The office blocks house the Agriculture Department, Board of Internal Revenue Unit, Examination Development Commission, National Population Unit, and many others.

Lamenting over the inferno, the Local Government Chairman, Dr. Hagler Okorie, noted that the damage by the fire will cost millions of naira to rebuild, including records of court proceedings and exhibits among others.

He expressed his gratitude that no life was lost and ordered the council staff to clear bushes around their offices and residential quarters.

He also advised the staff to switch of electrical appliances when they are not in use or when leaving the office to forestall a recurrence.

Furthermore, Dr. Okorie called on the federal and state governments to urgently intervene by assisting the LGA to rebuild the damaged structures so as “to restore normal official functions of the court and the council”.

The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained as of the time of filing this report.