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A devastating midnight fire has claimed the lives of a father and his young daughter in Minna, Niger State.
The tragic incident occurred at St. Andrew Anglican Church in the Sabon Gari area of Minna on March 2, 2026.
The father, Ikechukwu Michael Njoku, 45, suffered severe burns while attempting to rescue his daughter from the blaze. He later died from his injuries on March 16.
His six-year-old daughter, Esther, died at the scene, while his wife and three other children sustained serious injuries.
The survivors are currently receiving treatment at IBB Specialist Hospital, Minna, where they are said to be in critical condition.
The deceased father and daughter are scheduled to be laid to rest on March 27, 2026, in their hometown of Mebiokpa Okposi Ohozara in Ebonyi State.
According to a Facebook user, Offor Oscar Onyinye, the fire broke out around 2:00 a.m. while the family was asleep. Njoku reportedly woke up to the smell of smoke and found the house engulfed in flames.
Without hesitation, he rushed into the burning building in an attempt to save his daughter, who was in the children’s room. Although he managed to escape, he sustained life-threatening injuries.
Despite battling for his life for about a week, he eventually succumbed to the burns.
The incident has left the family and community in deep grief, with many describing Njoku as a hero who made the ultimate sacrifice in an effort to save his child.
Friends and well-wishers have called for prayers and support for the surviving members of the family as they continue to recover from the tragedy.
