In the early hours of Monday, tragedy struck in the Akankan Area of Ede, Osun State, leaving residents in mourning.

On the ill-fated day, a devastating fire engulfed the residence of a Customs officer, Tijani Kabiru, attached to the Oyo/Osun Command.

The fire killed Kabiru, his wife, and four of their children.

This incedent has sparked panic and disbelief in the community.

An eyewitness, Kola, said firefighters from the Ede Fire Station were contacted.

This was after the smoke was detected.

Sadly, the house had been badly affected before the fire could be subdued.

He said: “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.”

The Osun State Fire Service spokesperson, Ibraheem Adekunle, in a statement signed by the Director of the Service, Olaniyi Alimi, confirmed the fire.

A Lone Survivor 

He said the lone survivor, a 13-year-old boy, miraculously escaped the blaze.

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According to him, the remains of the deceased were handed over to officers from the A’ Division of the Nigeria Police Force.

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.

They went with a backup team joining from the Fire Service Headquarters in Abere.”

The Incident

“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 nd 10 years.
The estimated loss from the inferno is around 200 million naira, while property worth 500 million naira was saved.”