Tragedy has befallen the peaceful community of Ede, Osun State, with the devastating fire that claimed the lives of the Kabiru family. Customs Officer Tijani Kabiru, his wife and their four children tragically perished in the flames that engulfed their home on the night of Monday, December 2, 2024.
Residents of Akankan area have been left deeply shocked by the irreparable loss. The blaze reportedly started around 3am when neighbours spotted smoke coming from the Kabiru family residence.
A neighbour, named Kola, reported seeing the smoke and promptly alerted the Ede Fire Station. Despite the quick response of the firefighters, the house had already sustained considerable damage by the time they arrived on the scene.
Kola, aged forty, explained that although firefighters responded promptly, the fire had already claimed the lives of Kabiru, his wife and their four children aged between 3 and 10 years before it was brought under control. “The fire had been burning for some time before we noticed the smoke around 3am. The firefighters did their best but the house was almost destroyed when they arrived,” Kola said.
He added that one of the children, a 13-year-old boy, managed to escape the flames. The Osun State Fire Service authorities confirmed the tragedy in a statement issued by their spokesman, Ibraheem Adekunle, and signed by the agency’s Director, Olaniyi Alimi. The statement said six lives were lost in the fire and the cause of the blaze was still under investigation.
According to the Fire Service, the distress call was made at 3:21am, prompting immediate action from the Ede Zonal Command, with additional support from the Fire Service Headquarters in Abere. The fire broke out on Tijani Kabiru Street, named after the deceased officer, in the Akankan area of Ede North Constituency.
This tragic event has deeply affected the Ede community and has generated an outpouring of emotion and solidarity with the Kabiru family. Residents are mourning and grieving over this immense loss. The ongoing investigations will hopefully shed light on the circumstances of the incident and provide some measure of comfort to those who are grieving today.