Kogi State Governor, His Excellency Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, has ordered his Deputy, His Excellency Comrade Joel Salifu, to assess the damage caused by the fire outbreak at PEELINKS Electronics Limited in Lokoja.
The Deputy Governor disclosed this when he visited the electronics mall on Thursday to assess the extent of the damage.
He said he promptly informed the Governor after receiving news of the fire outbreak, prompting Ododo to direct him to visit the scene and assess the situation firsthand.
Comrade Joel Salifu commended the men of the Nigeria Fire Service, Security agencies and youths of Lokoja for their quick response and support in helping to save goods from the burning building, noting that their actions helped to reduce the impact of the disaster.
Earlier, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of PEELINKS Electronics Limited, Mr. Peter Onujeme, said he got a distress call at about 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday that fire had engulfed the roof of the mall.
He suspected that a power surge might have caused the incident, explaining that electricity supply had been going on and off before the fire started.
Mr. Peter said the value of the goods destroyed was yet to be determined but estimated the losses to be worth hundreds of millions of naira.
He commended the Lokoja Fire Service for responding swiftly to contain the blaze and appreciated operatives of the Police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, as well as residents who risked their lives to enter the burning building to save goods.
The CEO of PEELINKS, expressed gratitude to the Kogi State Government for their compassion, saying the visit had brought him reassuring source of comfort during such a difficult period.
He said business activities would resume at the mall on Saturday, October 24, 2026. He revealed that repair works on the damaged roof were ongoing, adding that the company remains committed to serving better its customers within and outside Kogi State.
PEELINKS Electronics Limited is one of the major electronics stores in Lokoja and a notable electronics shopping destination in North-Central Nigeria.
