A 300-level student of Geography Department at the Federal University, Gashua (FUGA) in Yobe State, Shamsiya Murtala yesterday lost her life and several others injured when fire destroyed parts of the female hostel of the university.
Leadership Sunday gathered that when the fire started at the room of the victim, she was far asleep. It took the effort of the other female students in the hostel to break into the room and bring her out but she was later confirmed dead at the Specialist Hospital, Gashua.
According to report, the fire broke out some minutes after 10am on Saturday, at a time when most of the students had gone out while others were engaged in various activities within the school.
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Meanwhile, the management of the school has directed the closure of academic activities as a result of the inferno.
The school’s registrar Abubakar Mamud said this in a statement where he quoted the vice-chancellor of the school as asking students to vacate the varsity’s premises.
In his words, “The vice-chancellor and chairman of the senate has directed for the immediate closure of the university due to escalating students’ unrest on campus”.
According to him, the fire ripped through hundreds of rooms in the female hostel, dislodging several students.
“A female hostel of the Federal University Gashua, Yobe State was gutted by fire on Saturday, 23rd March 2024 destroying a complete block of 29 rooms accommodating about 301 students,” the Saturday statement read.
Meanwhile, the cause of the fire incident is still sketchy, but some students suspect a cooking gas might have caused it.
