In a devastating turn of events, a fire outbreak at the Federal University Gashua (FUGA) in Yobe resulted in the death of a 300-level student.
The blaze, which erupted around 1 pm, tore through a female hostel, affecting 29 rooms and 301 students.
The Yobe State Emergency Management Agency, through its executive secretary Mohammed Goje, confirmed the incident.
While one student tragically lost her life, others sustained injuries as they evacuated the building. Those needing medical care received treatment at the Gashua Specialist Hospital.
The university’s vice-chancellor, Maimuna Wazir, was seen in a video offering comfort to the students who survived the ordeal.
Initial reports from campus sources suggest a cooking gas explosion as the cause, but the university registrar, Abubakar Mamudo, indicated that investigations are ongoing.
“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 register was quoted as saying.
“A 300-hundred-level student of the Geography Department by the name of Shamsiya Murtala was confirmed dead in the inferno.
“Three other students who sustained injuries were treated and discharged from the general hospital, Gashua.
“The vice-chancellor and chairman of the senate has directed for the immediate closure of the university due to escalating students’ unrest on campus”.
In response to the tragedy, academic activities have been temporarily halted as directed by the vice-chancellor.
The university community mourns the loss of Shamsiya Murtala, a student from the Geography Department, and extends its support to those affected by the fire.
This incident follows a similar tragedy at Yobe State University in Damaturu, marking a somber period for the region’s academic institutions.
