A midnight fire claimed the lives of Tijani Kabiru, a Customs officer attached to the Oyo/Osun Command, his wife, and their four children in the Akankan Area of Ede, Osun State, early Monday morning.
The devastating incident has plunged the community into mourning, leaving residents grappling with shock and grief.
The cause of the fire remains unknown, but its impact has raised concerns about fire safety measures in the area. A neighbor, Kola, who witnessed the tragedy, recounted that smoke was first noticed around 3 a.m.
Despite a timely response by firefighters from the Ede Fire Station, the flames had already consumed much of the house, leaving Kabiru, his wife, and four of their children dead. A 13-year-old boy, however, managed to escape the blaze.
Confirming the incident, the Osun State Fire Service spokesperson, Ibraheem Adekunle, issued a statement signed by the Service Director, Mr. Olaniyi Alimi. The statement revealed that the fire service received a distress call at 3:21 a.m. and dispatched teams from the Ede Zonal Command and the Fire Service Headquarters in Abere to the scene.
The house, located on Customs Tijani Kabiru Road—named after the deceased officer—was severely damaged. The victims included Kabiru, reportedly in his late 40s, his wife in her early 40s, and their four children, aged between three and ten years.
The fire caused an estimated loss of ₦200 million, though property worth ₦500 million was reportedly saved.
The remains of the deceased were handed over to officers from the A’ Division of the Nigeria Police Force for further investigation. The incident has left a deep scar on the community, with many calling for immediate action to prevent such tragedies in the future.
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