A fire engulfed a block of classrooms at Limawa Day Secondary School in Minna, Niger State, on Thursday evening, with eyewitnesses attributing the blaze to suspected hemp smokers.
The fire, which caused significant damage, was swiftly contained by firefighters from the Niger State Federal Fire Service.
Eyewitnesses claimed that a group of young boys frequently gathered on the school premises to smoke hemp.
Ibrahim Mohammed, a local resident, described how their careless actions may have sparked the blaze.
“These 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,” Mohammed explained.
He added, “We’ve seen them smoking here before, and it’s clear their reckless behavior led to this unfortunate incident.”
The school’s principal, Datti Dauda, confirmed the incident, stating he was alerted by a neighbor about the fire.
“I received a call from our neighbor, the headmaster, who told me the school was on fire. I immediately contacted the fire service, and they responded promptly to extinguish the flames,” Dauda said.
Ruling out electrical faults as the cause, Dauda noted that the affected part of the building had no electrical connections.
He attributed the fire to possible actions of intruders, given that the school premises were often encroached upon.
The principal estimated the damage at over ₦1.5 million, citing the cost of repairing destroyed planks and other materials.
A senior official from the fire service commended the swift response of his team, noting that they arrived at the scene within five minutes of the alarm being raised.
“We acted immediately and successfully contained the fire, preventing further damage,” the official said.
In light of the incident, authorities have urged residents to remain vigilant, particularly during the harmattan season, when fires can spread rapidly.
The school has also called for enhanced security measures to prevent unauthorized access and ensure the safety of its facilities.
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