17 children dead and 16 others injured as fire guts Islamic school in Zamfara

No fewer than 17 Almajiri students have lost their lives in a fire incident which occurred in the Kaura-Namoda Local Government Area of Zamfara State, as a fire outbreak at an Islamiya school.

The fire which started late on Tuesday night and raged for about three hours left 16 others injured.

The fire reportedly started fire started when the children were asleep.

Abdulrasaq Bello Kaura, a resident of the area who spoke to Channels TV on the incident said the fire was caused by some stored sticks locally called kara.

“It happened at Makaranta Mallam Ghali, inside their study hall. There are about 100 of them in the house, after they evacuated the students, they thought none of them remained inside the house, it was when they returned after the fire, they started seeing their legs, hands, they got burnt beyond recognition,” Kaura said.

The source added that the 17 students were buried on Tuesday, February 4, 2025.

The Chairman of Kaura-Namoda Local Government, Comrade Mannir Muazu Haidara, has also confirmed the incident.

Speaking on Wednesday, the Public Relations Officer for the State Police Command, Yazid Abubakar, confirmed the incident.

Abubakar, however, noted that 17 students were killed in the fire while 17 others are receiving treatment, adding that investigation is ongoing to ascertain the cause of the fire.

He said, “Yes, the incident happened. 17 children were linked while 17 are on admission and investigation is ongoing.”

This comes days after a block of classrooms was burnt down as fire wreaked havoc at the Okaro Primary School, Urhonigbe, Orhionmwon, Benin, in Edo State on Saturday.

The Edo State Universal Basic Education Board, Onomen Briggs, disclosed in a statement that the cause of the fire remains unknown at this time.

The statement read, “The Edo State Universal Basic Education Board is deeply saddened to report that a fire incident occurred over the weekend at Okaro Primary School, Urhonigbe, resulting in significant damage to a block of classrooms.

She also said that investigations were currently being conducted by the relevant authorities within SUBEB.

“We are grateful that the incident took place outside school hours and no students or staff were present at the time.

“The cause of the fire remains unknown at this time, but investigations are currently being conducted by the relevant authorities within SUBEB.”

Briggs said SUBEB has deployed a fact-finding team to assess the extent of the destruction and determine the necessary interventions.

According to the SUBEB boss, the delegation, led by Angela Okpanem, a board member for Edo South, includes Director in Charge of Schools, Austin Otas and other senior SUBEB officials, adding that the team will conduct a thorough on-site assessment to guide the government’s next steps.

She added, “SUBEB is actively exploring alternative arrangements to ensure that pupils can continue their education without significant delays. Details of these arrangements will be communicated to parents, guardians, and the public as soon as they are finalised.

“We deeply appreciate the support and concern expressed by members of the Urhonigbe community and assure them that SUBEB is working diligently to restore normal operations at the school as quickly as possible.

“Further updates will be provided as investigations and recovery efforts progress.”

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