Tragedy struck on Monday as a devastating fire engulfed the residence of a Customs officer, Tijani Kabiru, attached to the Osun Command, killing him, his wife, and four of their children in the Akankan Area of Ede, Osun State.
The midnight inferno has left the community in shock and mourning.
Residents woke to the heartbreaking news of the family’s demise, sparking panic and disbelief.
A neighbour, Kola, who witnessed the tragic event recalled: “I can’t say when the fire started, but we observed smoke there at about 3am.
“The response time of the firemen was not bad, but the house had been badly affected before the fire could be subdued. Kabiru, his wife, and four children were already burnt to death. But one of the children escaped.”
According to Kola, firefighters from the Ede Fire Station were promptly contacted after smoke was detected.
However, by the time they arrived, the fire had already consumed much of the house.
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Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Osun State Fire Service, Ibraheem Adekunle, shared a statement signed by the Director of the Service, Mr Olaniyi Alimi.
The statement read: “We were informed of the incident via a distress call to our emergency number 08030808254 at 3:21 a.m. Our team from Ede Zonal Command proceeded to the scene, with a backup team joining from the Fire Service Headquarters in Abere.
“The address of the fire incident is Customs Tijani Kabiru Road, Akankan Area, Ede North LG. The street was named after the deceased, who was a Customs officer from the Oyo/Osun Command.
“Mr. Tijani Kabiru, reported to be in his late 40s, and his wife, said to be in her early 40s, lost their lives alongside four of their children—three boys and a girl—aged between three and 10 years. The estimated loss from the inferno is around N200 million, while property worth N500 million was saved.”
The lone survivor, a 13-year-old boy, miraculously escaped the blaze.
The remains of the deceased were handed over to officers from the A’ Division of the Nigeria Police Force.
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