A tragic fire claimed the lives of a Customs officer, Tijani Kabiru, his wife, and four of their children in the Akankan Area of Ede, Osun State, on Monday.
The fire, which occurred around 3 a.m., destroyed the family’s residence. Neighbors described the incident as heartbreaking, with one child miraculously escaping the flames.
A neighbor, Kola, recounted, “I can’t say when the fire started, but we noticed smoke around 3 a.m. The firemen arrived quickly, but the damage was already done. Kabiru, his wife, and four children were gone. Only one of the children survived.”
The Osun State Fire Service confirmed the incident through a statement signed by its Director, Olaniyi Alimi.
“We received a distress call at 3:21 a.m. and dispatched our team from Ede Zonal Command, with backup from our headquarters in Abere,” the statement read.
The family, including Mr. Kabiru, reportedly in his late 40s, his wife in her early 40s, and their four children aged between three and 10, perished in the fire. The lone survivor is a 13-year-old boy who managed to escape.
The statement added, “The fire occurred on Customs Tijani Kabiru Road, a street named after the deceased officer. The estimated loss from the fire is about N200 million, while property worth N500 million was saved.”
The remains of the deceased have been handed over to the A’ Division of the Nigeria Police Force for further investigation.
