Reports say that the family house of a former President, late Shehu Aliyu Shagari was razed by a fire outbreak in Sokoto on Saturday.
Located in the Gobirawa area in the Sokoto metropolis, structure was estimated to accommodate over 20 family members.
Although, the cause of the fire outbreak has not yet been ascertained and no life was lost but properties worth billions of naira were said to have been destroyed by the inferno as the fire overpowered the efforts of the good Samaritan in the area to evacuate some valuable properties and control the fire failed.
According to Newtelegraph, people booed fire service personnel for their coming to the incident late saying “Bama so”, Bama so”, which means we don’t want, we don’t want.
Umaru Sarkin Zangon, a neighbour of the family house said the fire outbreak started around 11 a.m. and razed the entire building.
Zango stated that all efforts by the people of the area to quench the fire in the early stages before the arrival of the fire service proved abortive.
Also, Aisha Tsohon Gidan Shagari, said the fire which gutted the house of the former president further escalated to the neighbouring houses due to the lateness of the service vehicles to arrive at the incident scene on time.
She further noted that the firefighting vehicle arrived on the scene with inadequate water.
Attahiru Shehu Shagari, a grandson of the former president revealed that he was at home when he heard shouting of people raising awareness and seeking help, also noted that despite late arrival at the incident scene, the fire service complained of insufficient water in their possession.
Reacting, the Director of State Fire Service, Tanimu Bawa Kasarawa said he received three distress calls of fire outbreaks same time in different locations including Gidan Dilo, Arkilla, and Gobirawa respectively.
Bawa who vividly remembered that he received the distress calls from the former president by 1.13 pm and immediately released the vehicles to the former president’s house by 1.15 p.m.
He said, “One of my officers sustained an injury while trying to control the inferno as a result of the pressure of the people at the incident scene.”