By Michael Ofulue, Osogbo

It began like an ordinary December night in Ede, Osun State — a family drifting off to sleep, but oblivious to the horror and fate that await them.

By dawn, the serenity of their once peaceful home had given way to choking smoke, crackling flames, and anguished cries, as a ferocious inferno incinerated the lives of Customs officer Mr. Tijani Kabiru, his wife, and four of their children.

Only a lone survivor emerged from the inferno, his escape a bittersweet miracle amidst the unimaginable tragedy.

Until his untimely death, Mr. Kabiru was an officer with the Osun/Oyo Command of the Nigeria Customs Service.

The incident occurred after Mr. Kabiru and his family had retired for the night, anticipating a new day. The devastating inferno consumed the entire building, killing all members of the family except a 13-year old boy, who miraculously escaped the midnight blaze.

The tragedy has left the community in deep shock, with many struggling to come to terms with the heartbreaking loss of an entire family.

Reports suggest that the fire began around 3a.m, allegedly caused by a solar panel installed on the roof of the building. The family, including three boys and a girl, were asleep when the fire started.

The 13-year-old boy sole survivor, a boy, was awake and reading in the living room when he noticed smoke billowing from the roof.

He alerted his father, who, already covered by smoke, directed the boy to the key to the gate, enabling his escape. Tragically, the mother and other children had sought refuge in the bathroom, where they were trapped and later perished in the inferno.

Eyewitnesses recounted that the boy made frantic efforts to save his family, but the intensity of the fire made it impossible. He eventually escaped unhurt.

The incident plunged the neighbourhood into mourning. Residents woke to the shocking news, with many expressing disbelief.

A neighbour, Mr. Kola, who witnessed the tragedy, shared his account: “I can’t say when the fire started, but we noticed smoke around 3 a.m. The firefighters responded promptly, but by the time they arrived, the house had been badly affected. Kabiru, his wife, and four children were already burnt to death, but one of the children managed to escape.”

According to Kola, firefighters from the Ede Fire Station were contacted immediately. However, the tight security structure of the house hindered rescue efforts.

The spokesperson for the Osun State Fire Service, Ibraheem Adekunle, confirmed the incident in a statement signed by the Director of the Service, Mr. Olaniyi Alimi.

The statement read:

“We received a distress call at 3:21 a.m. and dispatched our team from the Ede Zonal Command, with support from the Fire Service Headquarters in Abere. The incident occurred at Customs Tijani Kabiru Road, Akankan Area, Ede North Local Government Area.

“The deceased, Mr. Tijani Kabiru, in his late 40s, and his wife, in her early 40s, lost their lives along with their four children; three boys and a girl, aged between three and ten years. The estimated loss from the inferno is around N200 million, while property worth N500 million was saved.”

The remains of the deceased were handed over to officers of the A’ Division of the Nigeria Police Force.

In a statement, the Oyo/Osun Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service expressed profound sorrow over the loss of Superintendent of Customs, Kabiru Tijani, his wife, and children.

The statement, signed by the Public Relations Officer, Mr. Kayode Wey, described the death as tragic.

“The late officer, who was in charge of operations, was known for his dedication to anti-smuggling activities and his commitment to ridding the nation of smuggling,” the statement noted.

The lone survivor, who is still traumatised by the incident, recounted how he struggled to alert his family about the growing fire.

According to him, the thick smoke made it difficult to navigate the house. “I tried to wake my siblings, but the fire had already spread too far.”