Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
There was a munomental tragedy in Tse Agubor Gyaruwa, Tsambee – Mbesev Council Ward in Gwer West Local Government Area of Benue State as an 80-year-old woman was burnt to death and over 50 houses torched in the area.
Also burnt were other properties worth million naira.
The village head of the community, Chief Ayatse Agubor, who revealed this in Makurdi, said the fire incident happened at about 10am, on January 18, 2024, when members of the village were in the farm.
Zaki Agubor said when the fire began, they all ran to the farm to stop the fire from affecting their farm products which they stored in the farm. But as they were at it, they also noticed that the whole village was on fire too.
Flowing from the ugly incident, Agubor cautioned the youths in the area to stop unauthorised bush burning as, henceforth, “there will be a punishment if anyone is caught in the act.”
Speaking also, a woman, Hajia Kongo, who lost all that she had, decried the level of destruction caused by the fire.
She however appealed to the state government and well meaning Nigerians to assist them cushion the pains of the loss.
On the part of the Caretaker Chairman of Gwer West, Mr Henry Agba, he said, his council will no longer tolerate incessant bush burning in the local government.
He further said his council would send a team to assess the extent of destruction in the inferno, to enable it report to the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA).