A devastating fire incident in Sokoto metropolis has claimed the lives of four individuals, including the daughter of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) of Sokoto, Muhammad Bello Sifawa, and her three children.
The tragedy struck while the family was asleep in their six-bedroom flat, which was completely consumed by the blaze.
The deceased mother was also the wife of the Permanent Secretary of the Sokoto State Ministry of Sports and Youths Development, Muhammadu Yusuf Bello. Only the husband survived the incident.
Efforts to extinguish the fire by the Sokoto State Fire Service were unsuccessful, as the inferno had already engulfed the house before their arrival.
The remains of the four deceased family members are set to be buried at Sheikh Shehu Usmanu Danfodiyo Mosque in Sifawa, the hometown of the Sokoto SSG.
The tragic event has drawn a flood of sympathizers to Sifawa, including Sokoto State Deputy Governor Idris Mohammed Gobir, members of the state executive council, All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders, friends, and well-wishers, who have come to offer their condolences and partake in burial rites.
This incident follows a series of recent fire outbreaks in various parts of Nigeria, raising concerns about fire safety and response times.
The family’s loss has cast a pall over Sokoto, with residents mourning the tragic deaths and expressing solidarity with the bereaved family.