President Jonathan Fonati Koffa questioned by police

Liberia’s embattled House of Representatives speaker has been questioned by police after a major fire broke out in the West African nation’s legislature.

Residents of the capital, Monrovia, woke up Wednesday morning to see thick black smoke and flames rising from the Capitol building.

The flames destroyed all of the joint chambers of the legislature, but no one was in the building at the time.

Four people, including President Jonathan Fonati Koffa and Representative Frank Saah Foko, have been brought in for questioning, Liberia Police Chief Gregory Colman said.

The fire came a day after plans to remove Koffa from his post as speaker sparked a tense protest.

Several protesters, including an aide to former President George Weah, were arrested during Tuesday’s protest.

Representative Foko, a prominent figure in the House of Representatives, allegedly uploaded a video to Facebook in which he said: “If they want us to burn the cameras, we will burn them.”

Police Chief Coleman said: “Representative Foko threatened to burn the joint chambers and just a day later it was burnt. Therefore he needs to clarify his statement.”

Coleman said Koffa must also explain a Facebook post he made during the protests.

Neither Foko nor Koffa have publicly responded to Coleman’s comments.

The government has offered a $5,000 (£3,900) reward for more information about the fire.

President Joseph Boakai expressed disappointment over the incident and ordered security agencies to investigate.

Liberia’s House of Representatives has been beset by a power struggle, with a faction of lawmakers claiming to have removed and replaced President Koffa.

Another group has resisted the action, calling it unconstitutional.

A Supreme Court ruling has failed to resolve the internal conflict.