Tragedy struck in Sokoto metropolis as a devastating fire claimed the lives of four family members in a horrific incident that has left the community in shock. Among the deceased was the daughter of the Secretary to the State Government of Sokoto, Muhammad Bello Sifawa, along with her three young children. This heartbreaking event happened in the dead of night, engulfing the entire six-bedroom flat where the family resided.
The late mother, who was also the wife of the Permanent Secretary of the Sokoto State Ministry of Sports and Youths Development, Muhammadu Yusuf Bello, perished alongside her children. Her husband, miraculously, was the sole survivor of the inferno that consumed their home while the family slept.
Personnel from the state fire service arrived at the scene too late to make a difference, as the fire had already razed the building to the ground. The inefficiency of emergency response services once again raises uncomfortable questions about the readiness of such agencies to handle crises. Of course this is Nigeria, I’m sure they complained that they don’t have fuel in their vehicles.
The remains of the four family members are set to be laid to rest at the Sheikh Shehu Usmanu Danfodiyo Mosque in Sifawa, the hometown of the Sokoto State SSG. This somber event has drawn an outpouring of grief, with the state’s Deputy Governor, Idris Mohammed Gobir, members of the state executive council, APC stalwarts, friends, and sympathizers flocking to Sifawa for burial rites and condolence visits.
As the community gathers to pay their last respects, the haunting question in my heart remains: when will these preventable tragedies finally be addressed with the seriousness they deserve? Our emergencies can do better!
