Woman, 80 Burnt To Death As Fire Razes 50 Houses In Benue

An 80-year-old woman has been burnt to death in a fire incident which reportedly razed 50 houses in Tse-Agubor Gyaruwa of Tsambee-Mbesev Council Ward in Gwer West Local Government Area of Benue State.

The head of the affected village, Chief Ayatse Agubor, told journalists in Makurdi that the fire started at about 10am on Sunday when the villagers were already on their various farms.

He said his octogenarian mother who was killed in the fire could not get anyone to help her out of the sickbed because people were not at home.

Agubor attributed the fire to unauthorised bush burning, warning youths of the community to desist from the act or face the wrath of the law.

One of the villager, Hajia Kongo, who lost over 10 bags of maize, soya beans, clothes and other household items including N110,000 she hid in the bags of the burnt corn lamented the level of destruction caused to her house by the fire.

She pleaded with individuals and the government to come to her rescue.

Caretaker Chairman of Gwer West LGA, Henry Agba, while reacting to the incident, said the council would no longer tolerate unwanted bush burning in the area.

Agba added that a team would be detailed to assess the extent of destruction caused by the inferno to enable the council report to the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA).

Meanwhile, the Police Spokeswoman for Benue Command, SP. Catherine Anene, did not respond to calls or messages sent to her telephone on the incident.