Governor Abubakar Bello of Niger State has condoled with victims of the fire disaster that claimed several lives and property in Jatai Maitumbi of Bosso local government areas of the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports on Monday that the incident occurred on Feb. 20 at about 3.30 a.m. when a high tension electric cable fell on residential houses.
The inferno occasioned by the accident killed a Ward Head, his son and a Police Inspector in the community.
NAN also reports that several houses were razed by the fire.
Bello, who sympathised with the victims, said a committee would be set up to investigate the cause of the disaster.
He directed Mr Akubuko Mazi, Deputy Regional Manager, Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), to formally report the incident to the government.
“The loss is very difficult to understand. I urged you to write a report to your Head Office, stating exactly what happened while we wait for response.
“As a government we will give our assistance to the families of the deceased,” he said.
One of the victims, Mr Audu Tanko, whose house was razed by fire, told NAN that “I was in the market when my wife called me that my house was on fire.
“I quickly rushed back home only to see my house on fire.
“I remember when officials of Power Holding Company came to connect high tension lines to Gurusu village.
“I explained to them that it was risky to connect high tension lines on top the wires that connect my house.
“But they refused to adhere to what I told them. Look at the damages their carelessness has caused. They have left I and my family homeless,” he said
.NAN also gathered that the deceased Police Inspector, Mr Abu Gani, is survived by his wife and five children, while the Ward Head, Alhaji Tanko Saidu, left behind four wives and 27 children. (NAN)