The Osun State Fire Service has commenced investigation on circumstances that led to an officer of the Nigerian Customs attached to the Oyo/Osun Command, Tijani Kabiru, his wife and four children, during a fire disasters inside their house in Ede.
Demise of the law enforcement officer and other members of his family has threw the community into mourning considering that extent of the fire disaster.
They have since been laid to rest in accordance with Islamic rites amid eulogies.
Meanwhile, one of the deceased officer’s child escaped death during the inferno that occurred in the state.
The incident which occurred in Akankan Area of Ede yesterday, immediately threw the community into mourning and caused panic among the residents, who woke up to the news of the passage of the victims.
It was learnt that the residents attention were drawn to the family’s apartment after smoke started oozing out from the house around 3:am.
Upon discovery that the smoke was coming from Kabiru’s house, they said that the fire service operatives from the Ede Fire Station were contacted but before their arrival, the tragedy had occurred.
“I can’t say when the fire started, but we observed smoke at about 3 am. 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 death,” an eyewitness added.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the State Fire Service, Ibraheem Adekunle, in a statement signed by the Director of the Service, Olaniyi Alimi, confirmed the incident, saying six lives were lost to the inferno.
Alimi, who said a probe to unravel the cause of the inferno had begun, added that the cause of the fire was still unknown.
The statement partly read, “We were informed of the incident via a distress call to our emergency number 08030808254 at 3:21a.m and our team from Ede Zonal Command proceeded to the scene with a backup team joining them from Fire Service Headquarters, Abere.
“The address of the fire incident is Tijani Kabiru Road, Akankan Area, Ede North LG. The street was named after the deceased who was a Customs officer from Oyo/Osun Command.
“Mr Tijani Kabiru who was reported to be in his late 40s and his wife, said to be in her early 40s, lost their lives to the inferno that was suspected to have started like an hour before the fire service got the information.
“They (the couple) lost their lives alongside four of their children (three boys and a girl) with their ages ranging from three-10 years. The estimated loss to the inferno was put to around N200m, while the property saved was worth N500m.
“Their bodies were handed over to the men of A’ Division of the Nigeria Police Force. Only one of their sons, out of the family of seven escaped from the fire. The boy who escaped from the fire is about 13 years of age. The cause of the incident is still unknown, but a probe to unravel it has begun.”
The customs have described the incident as heartbroken, considering that the deceased officer was in Charge of Operations at the Command.
According to a statement signed by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Superintendent of Customs, Kayode Wey on Tuesday 3 December 2024 on behalf of the Customs Area Controller of the command Comptroller, Ben Oramalugo, noted that the heartbreaking incident occurred in the early hours of Monday, 2nd December 2024, at approximately 3:00 am when a fire engulfed their residence in Ede, Osun State.
The statement noted that SC Kabiru Tijani, served as the Officer in Charge of Operations at the Command, adding, “SC Kabiru was a dedicated officer. His unwavering commitment to duty, particularly in coordinating and executing successful anti-smuggling operations, greatly contributed to the success of the Command.”
“His wife, an active member of the Customs Officers’ Wives Association (COWA) Oyo/Osun Chapter, was equally admired for her contributions to the welfare of the Customs community.” The statement said.
While clearing the air about some purported reports as to how the inferno emanated, the Command urged the public to disregard such unfounded reports as the priority remains to provide support to the bereaved extended family and the lone child survivor and to further investigate the circumstances.
Comptroller Ben Oramalugo, on behalf of the Officers and Men of the Oyo/Osun Area Command, commiserated with the family and friends of the deceased.
