Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris, on Saturday night rescued about 140 schoolchildren following a fire outbreak at Nooroh‑Haq School in Birnin Kebbi.
The governor and members of his convoy were driving past the area when he noticed thick smoke rising from the school premises. He immediately ordered his convoy to stop and personally supervised the evacuation of the children to a safer location within the state capital.
Speaking to journalists at the scene, Governor Idris said he initially mistook the smoke for that of burning tyres before realising it was coming from a school building.
“We were just passing by when I saw smoke rising from the area. At first, I thought it was from burning tyres. But on taking a closer look, I discovered it was a school, and we immediately stopped to ensure the pupils were safely evacuated,” he said.
According to the governor, more than 140 pupils were inside the school at the time of the incident, and all were successfully moved to safety.
He further revealed that the presence of gas cylinders within the school premises complicated efforts by firefighters to contain the blaze.
Governor Idris and his team remained at the scene until the fire was completely extinguished and later broke their fast there.
He confirmed that no lives were lost in the incident and directed the immediate constitution of a high-powered committee to investigate the cause of the fire.
