A fire outbreak at an Islamiya school in the Kaura-Namoda Local Government Area of Zamfara State has claimed the lives of 17 students. The victims, all Almajiri students, were reportedly burnt beyond recognition, and their bodies were found scattered throughout the building.
Eyewitnesses described the incident as a horrific event, noting that the fire began late on Tuesday night and continued to rage for about three hours. During this time, the fire caused severe damage to the building, leaving 16 other students with injuries.
Abdulrasaq Bello Kaura, a local resident, told Channels Television that the fire likely started due to the ignition of sticks locally known as kara, which were stored inside the school. These sticks, which are often used for various purposes, may have caught fire, leading to the disaster.
A source close to the incident told DAILY TRUST, “It happened at Makaranta Mallam Ghali, inside their study hall. There are about 100 of them in the house.” The source went on to explain that after evacuating the students, the staff believed that everyone had escaped the building.
However, upon returning to the site after the fire was extinguished, they discovered body parts—such as legs and hands—and charred corpses of the students, all unrecognizable due to the severity of the fire. Following the devastating loss, the bodies of the 17 deceased students were laid to rest on Wednesday.
