by Nurat Uthman
A block of classrooms at Limawa Day Secondary School, Minna, Niger State, was engulfed in flames on Thursday evening.
The fire was said to have been started by suspected hemp smokers.
The fire was swiftly brought under control by firefighters from the Niger State Federal Fire Service.
According to an eyewitness, he said “some boys always come here to smoke weed, and with this harmattan season, things catch fire easily.
“Yesterday, they dropped a burning butt in one of the classrooms, which eventually ignited the fire,”
He added, “The other day, some colleagues and I were here for a programme, and we saw these boys smoking. When we were leaving, we moved in a group to avoid any confrontation with them. This fire outbreak must have been caused by their reckless actions.”
The school principal, Datti Dauda, confirmed the incident, explaining that he was alerted by a neighbour.
“I received a call from our neighbour, the headmaster, who told me that the school was on fire. I immediately contacted the fire service, and they responded promptly to extinguish the flames,” Dauda said.
While the exact cause of the fire remains unclear, Dauda ruled out electrical faults as the trigger.
“There are no electrical connections to that part of the building. My suspicion is that the fire may have been caused by some of the neighbours or intruders, as the school premises are encroached upon,” he said.
Dauda estimated the damage at over ₦1.5 million, considering the cost of repairing the destroyed planks and other materials.
