Military Personnel Sustained Injuries As Fire Breaks Out At Yobe Post
- A fire outbreak destroyed eight shelter rooms and a mosque at a military checkpoint in Potiskum, Yobe state
- One military personnel sustained injuries, while emergency teams swiftly contained the blaze
- Authorities suspect an electrical fault, as investigations and relief efforts continue
Legit.ng's Muslim Muhammad Yusuf is a 2025 Wole Soyinka Award-winning journalist with over 8 years of experience in investigative reporting, human rights, politics, governance and accountability in Nigeria.
A fire outbreak on Thursday, January 15, razed eight makeshift shelter rooms and a mosque at a military checkpoint along Gombe Road in Potiskum Local Government Area of Yobe State.
The incident, which occurred at about 1:30pm, also left one military personnel injured.
Source: UGC
Eyewitnesses told PUNCH that the fire was first noticed when thick smoke began to billow from the checkpoint area, triggering panic among residents and security personnel.
According to them, efforts were immediately made to contain the blaze, but it spread rapidly and engulfed most of the shelter area before it could be brought under control.
“People tried to put out the fire as soon as they noticed the smoke, but it spread very fast. The smoke was thick, and almost the entire shelter area was affected,” one eyewitness said.
SEMA confirms incident
Confirming the incident, the head of the Local Emergency Management Committee of the Yobe State Emergency Management Agency (YSEMA), Ahmad Daya, said emergency responders acted swiftly to prevent further damage.
“Our personnel responded immediately, and the fire was successfully brought under control. One military officer sustained injuries and was evacuated for urgent medical attention,” Daya said in a telephone interview.
He added that preliminary findings suggested the fire may have been caused by an electrical fault, although investigations were still ongoing to determine the exact cause.
Source: Original
Relief efforts continue
Daya further disclosed that the Yobe State Emergency Management Agency has commenced coordination of relief efforts to assist those displaced by the fire, including the provision of temporary shelter and other basic necessities.
No other casualties were recorded in the incident.
Similar incident in Plateau
Meanwhile, in a related incident earlier on Thursday, a fire outbreak gutted a petroleum and cooking gas filling station along the Bukuru Expressway in Jos, Plateau State.
According to the PUNCH, the filling station was reportedly engulfed in flames after a fire broke out around its underground petroleum discharge tank.
Authorities are yet to release details on casualties or the cause of the Jos incident.
Fire outbreaks in Kano filling stations
Legit.ng earlier reported that two separate fire outbreaks occurred at filling stations in Kabo and Nassarawa local government areas of Kano state, destroying two petrol tankers.
Seventeen tricycles were completely burnt, while firefighters salvaged parts of one tanker and some fuel.
The Kano state Fire Service has urged filling station operators and tanker drivers to adhere to safety precautions during fuel handling strictly.
3 die in attack on Kano NSCDC post
In another story, Legit.ng reported that the Kano state command of the NSCDC confirmed an attack on its outpost at Danmaje in the Dawakin area of Kano state.
During the attack, three suspects were said to have been killed while the facility was destroyed by fire by the violent mob.
This came barely 24 hours after a separate attack was launched on one of the outposts of the NSCDC in a neighbouring Katsina state.
Source: Legit.ng
