•Fire outbreak
A fire outbreak has destroyed St. Mary Catholic Cathedral in Wukari, Taraba State.
It was gathered that the incident completely razed the church building, reports Daily Trust.
Fr. John Laikei, Director of Communications for the Catholic Diocese of Wukari, said the fire started last night shortly after electricity was restored in the area where the church is located.
He described the incident as a “major setback” for the diocese, adding that members were still in shock over the development.
Fr. Laikei said the exact cause of the fire has not yet been determined.
“But I can confirm that it coincided with the restoration of electricity. I must also inform you that the authorities have yet to evaluate the extent of the damage caused by the fire,” he said.
It was learnt that the absence of functional fire service vehicles in Wukari worsened the situation, as members of the church watched helplessly while the fire destroyed the entire structure.
The St. Mary Catholic Cathedral fire incident came barely a month after a similar fire destroyed the Wukari Local Government Secretariat.
In Jalingo, the state capital, several fire incidents were recorded in January, February and March, during which shops, a market and houses were destroyed.
However, no lives were lost in the incidents.
It was earlier reported that Governor Agbu Kefas set up a committee to address recurring fire incidents in Jalingo and other parts of the state.
