Father, 6-Year-Old Daughter Die in Minna Fire Incident; Family Members Hospitalized

A fire outbreak in Minna, Niger State, has left a father and his six-year-old daughter dead, while his wife and three other children are receiving treatment for injuries sustained in the incident.

The incident occurred in the Sabon Gari area of Minna in the early hours of March 2, 2026, at St. Andrew Anglican Church premises, where the family resided.

According to accounts shared by witnesses, Ikechukwu Michael Njoku, 45, woke up to smoke filling the building and attempted to rescue his daughter, Esther Njoku, who was inside a room at the time. He sustained severe burns during the rescue effort.

Esther died at the scene, while Ikechukwu survived the initial incident but later succumbed to his injuries on March 16, 2026, after receiving treatment.

His wife and their three other children survived the fire but suffered injuries. They are currently being treated at IBB Specialist Hospital in Minna.

A community member, Offor Oscar Onyinye, described the incident in a social media post, noting that the fire broke out around 2 a.m. and spread rapidly through the building before help could be mobilized.

Burial arrangements have been scheduled for March 27, 2026, in the family’s hometown of Mebiokpa Okposi Ohozara in Ebonyi State.

Authorities have not yet released a formal report on the cause of the fire.