The Kaduna house of popular Islamic scholar, Sheikh Gumi, has been gutted by fire.

The inferno was confirmed via a statement by Gumi’s Media Consultant, Malam Tukur Mamu, on Saturday night.

According to Mamu, the cause of the fire outbreak which lasted for about four hours had yet to be ascertained.

He added that a female secondary school founded by Gumi, Khulitul Banat Girls College, was razed by the inferno, noting that the fire outbreak did not affect the building where the Islamic cleric and his family reside.

Mamu stated: “This is to confirm a fire outbreak in Sheikh Dr. Ahmad Gumi’s residence. While the cause of the fire which lasted for about 4 hours has not yet been ascertain, we can confirm that no life was lost.

“However, contrary to media reports the fire did not affect the second part of the large building where the Sheikh and his family resides.

“For clarity, part of the big edifice, an upstairs in the main entrance is housing a female Secondary School, Khulitul Banat Girls College which was founded by Gumi while the Sheikh stays with his family in large duplexes at the inner part of the house.

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“The side that was completely destroyed by the fire is the upstairs of the girls college. The well-equipped laboratory, computer sections (with about 50 computers) and 4 classrooms all in the upstairs of the building were all destroyed by the fire. The source of the fire is not yet known.

“The Kaduna State Fire Service must be commended as they responded almost promptly to distress calls but even before they arrived the fire has consumed virtually all the upstairs section. Nothing was removed. The downstairs of the school with many classrooms and offices is not touched by the fire.”

He added: “Sheikh Gumi and his entire family including his domestic staffs were not affected and did not sustain any injury as a result of the unfortunate disaster.

“As we investigate to find out the cause of the fire, we thank all well-wishers that came almost immediately in hundreds to provide assistance in putting up the fire and to sympathize with Sheikh Gumi. We also thank many others from outside Kaduna that keep calling in demonstration of love and concern.”

TheStar