Tragedy struck in Sokoto as the daughter of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) lost her life while attempting to rescue her children from a midnight fire that engulfed their home in the Nakasari area on Sunday.
Her husband, Alhaji Muhammadu Yusuf Bello, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry for Sport and Youth Development, was away at the time of the incident. The blaze claimed the lives of the SSG’s daughter, her three children, and a housemaid.
A firefighter involved in extinguishing the inferno, speaking anonymously, revealed that other occupants survived, but the victims perished in the tragic effort to save the children.
The Sokoto State Fire Service spokesperson, Bello Garba, confirmed the deaths and extensive property damage, stating, “We cannot determine the cause or full extent of the damages yet, as investigations are ongoing.”
The fire also spread to neighboring houses before being brought under control by firefighters, residents, and passersby.
Grief engulfed the community as the deceased were laid to rest in Sifawa, the SSG’s hometown. The funeral prayer, held at the Sifawa Central Mosque, was led by its Chief Imam, Professor Attahiru Ahmad, who also serves as the state’s Commissioner for Science and Technology.
Dignitaries in attendance included Sokoto Deputy Governor Engineer Idris Gobir, leading the state’s delegation, and the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi, who recently mourned his own loss.
Properties worth millions of naira were destroyed, adding to the devastating impact of the tragedy.
