Fire Outbreak Hits UDUS Block E Common Room As Dean Calls for Caution

A fire outbreak struck Block E hostel of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUS), on Friday, June 13th, 2025, as flames engulfed the common room area shortly after 1:00 PM, sending students into panic just minutes before the weekly Jumu‘ah prayer.

Residents of the block acted swiftly to contain the fire before the arrival of the university’s fire service, which brought the situation fully under control by 1:25 PM. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.

However, the fire damaged several official documents stored in the common room, reportedly belonging to the Portal House. The incident has raised concerns among students regarding the safety and storage of administrative files, particularly when kept in shared or vulnerable spaces.

While the exact cause of the fire remains under investigation, eyewitnesses suspect that a gas cylinder, one of several previously confiscated from hostel rooms following the university’s ban on cooking appliances ,may have contributed to the intensity of the flames.

Speaking to Inter-Watch Press Board, the Dean of Student Affairs, Prof Umar Aliyu expressed concern and offered precautionary advice:

 “This is an unfortunate situation and we pray to Almighty Allah to help us,” he said.

“Students should be very cautious and sensitive in using electrical appliances. Also, they should switch off all electrical gadgets upon leaving their various rooms to avoid such incidents in the future.”

As of the time of filing this report, no official statement has been released by the university’s central management, although internal investigations are ongoing."

By Abdullahi Alatare and Muhammad Bello