At least 14 persons were killed in a fire incident at a camp for displaced persons (IDPs) in Borno State.

Residents of the camp and similar ones in Borno were displaced from their homes by the Boko Haram insurgency which has caused tens of thousands of deaths.

Casualty figure from the fire was announced in a statement by presidential spokesperson, Mr Garba Shehu, Thursday evening.

Shehu said the fire occurred at an IDP camp in Ngala local government of Borno.

He said President Muhammadu Buhari Thursday evening described as “extremely horrifying,” the news of the death of 14 persons and injury to many from the fire incident at an IDP camp in Ngala, Borno State.

“Reacting to the sad incident, the President directed Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development to investigate and report the circumstances leading to the incident, and advise on how a future occurrence will be averted.

“He further directed that urgently needed assistance be immediately given to the victims, and prayed to Allah to repose the souls of those whose lives were lost, and the quick recovery of the injured persons,” Shehu wrote.

Details of the fire incident at Ngala was still sketchy at press time.

However, two days earlier, on Tuesday, there was a fire incident at an IDP camp in Mafa Local Government Area of Borno.

Mafa and Ngala are separate local governments in Borno.

No fewer than 700 shelters were destroyed by fire at the IDP camp in Mafa Local Government Area of Borno State.

PT