How fire rendered Jigawa villagers homeless

Recently, the people of Malamawar Dangoli, Karangiya and Kwalele villages in Kiyawa Local Government Area, Jigawa State, were victims of a disastrous fire incident that led to the loss of lives and properties. In this report, the villagers share their experience of the horrific incident. Victims of the recent fire incident that razed properties, including […]

Recently, the people of Malamawar Dangoli, Karangiya and Kwalele villages in Kiyawa Local Government Area, Jigawa State, were victims of a disastrous fire incident that led to the loss of lives and properties. In this report, the villagers share their experience of the horrific incident.

Victims of the recent fire incident that razed properties, including animals and farm produce in Jigawa villages, are still counting their losses. The inferno ravaged Malamawar Dangoli, Karangiya and Kwalele villages in Kiyawa Local Government Area of the state.

The fire, which started on Sunday, consumed about 236 houses, over 300 animals, farm produce, clothes and other valuables.

When Daily Trust Saturday visited the affected villages, children, women and men were seen sitting near their burnt houses and mosques.

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The village head of Karangiya, Malam Saleh Usman, told Daily Trust Saturday that they lost a lot of valuables, saying, “The fire has damaged almost everything in this village.” He added that his people, especially children and women, were exposed to danger, having been rendered homeless.

 

Usman also said the villagers lost N300 million to N400 million in cattle, goats, sheep, chickens and other properties belonging to women.

He called on the government at all levels, as well as organisations, to come to their aid.

An 83-year-old victim of the incident, Abdulrahman Abdullahi of Malamawa village, who has 15 children, two wives and five grandchildren staying with him currently, lamented, “There’s no shelter for us as everything has been burnt. I am only left with this cloth I am wearing. Please come to our rescue.”

Another victim, 59-year-old Hafsat Abdullahi from Malamawa said she lost everything to the incident.

“We don’t have anywhere to go because this is our ancestral village. We don’t have any other place,” she said.

She also said her farm produce, such as hibiscus, millet, maize, sesame, and other things were totally burnt. She called on relevant authorities to come to their rescue.

Asmau Isma’ila also said, “I didn’t pick anything from my room, not even a cloth. I am only I left with what I am wearing.

“I am calling on government and other bodies to help us.”

A married woman, Zaibira Yahaya of Malamawa village, said she had never experienced this type of difficulty, but added, “We pray that Allah would reward us with good things as we always submit to him.”

She also said she lost everything to the inferno.

She said her husband was struggling to build another shelter with bamboo but they were afraid that the bamboo could be a source of the fire incident.

In Karangiya, a 45-year-old man, Malam Sadisu Musa, who has two wives and 12 children, said he didn’t know what to do and where to start because he lost everything to the fire. He, however, thanked Allah that there was no loss of life.

“We are appealing to the government, organisations and individuals to assist us,” he said.

Litin Yayaha, a 43-year-old married woman from Kwalele village, said members of her family were forced to sleep in the open as their house was burnt. She prayed to God to come to their aid.

Daily Trust Saturday gathered that sympathisers, including the deputy governor of the state, Alhaji Namadi Danmodi, have been commiserating with the victims and wishes them Allah’s guidance and protection. However, there was no indication of any assistance yet from anybody or organisation at the time of filing this report.

It was gathered that the fire started from bamboo in the affected villages and spread from one house to another.