In the Tse Agubor Gyaruwa, Tsambee – Mbesev Council Ward in the Gwer West Local Government Area of Benue State, a fire destroyed over fifty dwellings, resulting in the death of an 80-year-old woman from injuries sustained from burning. Several million-naira properties were also destroyed by fire.
Chief Ayatse Agubor, the village chief, revealed the occurrence in Makurdi yesterday. He stated that it happened on January 18, 2024, around 10 a.m., while villagers were on the farm.
According to Zaki Agubor, as soon as the fire started, everyone rushed to the property to protect the agricultural supplies they were storing there. However, they also discovered that the entire village was on fire while they were at it.
He issued a warning to the local teenagers not to engage in unapproved bush burning because they would be punished if they were seen doing so.
Hajia Kongo, a woman who bemoaned the extent of the devastation caused by the fire, lost over ten bags of maize, soya beans, and over N100,000 that she had hidden in one of the bags of grain. Kongo appealed to the state administration and kindhearted people to help them ease the blow of the loss.
In response to the event, Mr Henry Agba, the Caretaker Chairman of Gwer West, declared that his council would no longer put up with constant bush burning within the local government. The head of the council announced that a team would be dispatched to evaluate the level of damage caused by the fire so that a report could be sent to the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA).
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