Katsina residents mourn as blaze destroys home, kills couple, three children

Katsina residents mourn as blaze destroys home, kills couple, three children

A tragic Katsina fire outbreak in the early hours of Monday has claimed the lives of an entire family of five and destroyed property valued at millions of naira in the Kofar Sauri community of Katsina metropolis.

The victims — 35-year-old Muhammad Habibu, his wife Fatima Muhammad, and their three children, Khadija, Abubakar, and Aliyu — were all burnt to death after flames engulfed their home around 3:00 a.m. Habibu was a casual staff member of the Katsina State Water Board until his death.

Although the exact cause of the fire is yet to be officially confirmed, residents strongly suspect a high-voltage power surge following the restoration of electricity to the area. Witnesses said the fire ignited in the living room before spreading rapidly through the entire building as the family slept, blocking all escape routes.

A relative, Kasim Aliyu, recounted hearing a distant voice reciting Islamic prayers moments before the incident. “I later received a call around 4:00 a.m. informing me that my brother and his entire family had died in the fire. May their souls be admitted into Aljannah Firdausi,” he said.

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Neighbours and first responders made desperate attempts to put out the flames but were unsuccessful. Some residents criticised the Katsina State Fire Service, alleging late response. However, Chief Fire Officer Rabe Audi Kurmuyal refuted the claims, insisting that firefighters extinguished the blaze promptly.

Residents blamed persistent power fluctuations by the Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO), saying unstable supply and sudden high-voltage surges have caused similar incidents in areas such as Sabuwar Unguwa, Kwamren Dorowa, and Abbatoir. But KEDCO’s Katsina Regional Manager, Aminu Bukari, argued that it was “unlikely for a surge to affect only one house in a community of over 5,000 homes.”

The Executive Secretary of the Katsina State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Binta Hussaini Dangani, who visited the scene shortly after the tragedy, described the incident as the will of God. She prayed for the deceased and urged residents to switch off appliances at night and handle fire with caution. SEMA has begun an on-the-spot assessment ahead of providing relief support.

Aliyu lamented the devastating loss and called on authorities to address the recurring disasters linked to power fluctuations in Katsina, which residents say have persisted for nearly a decade due to infrastructure failures and official negligence.

The community has been left in shock as condolences continue to pour in for the victims’ family.

Katsina residents mourn as blaze destroys home, kills couple, three children