Mystery fire guts Ex-Abia Council chairman’s duplex, sparks arson concerns

…‘My maid banged on my door shouting “Mummy, fire!”’ — Wife recounts ordeal

By Steve Oko

UMUAHIA — A mysterious early morning fire has damaged a duplex belonging to a former Chairman of Umunneochi Local Government Area of Abia State, Chief Ifeanyi Madu, at Umuobia Housing Estate, Olokoro axis of Umuahia.

The fire, which occurred around 3:00 a.m. on April 10, 2026, reportedly started in a first-floor bedroom and destroyed valuables in the room before it was contained through the combined efforts of neighbours and personnel of the State Fire Service.

Narrating the incident, Madu, who is currently abroad, said the first alert came through an unusual phone call from a relative in Enugu State, who contacted his younger brother in Umuahia.

According to him, attempts by his brother to reach occupants of the house at the time were unsuccessful, delaying immediate intervention due to the odd hour.

“At daybreak, he rushed to the house from his residence about five kilometres away, only to discover that the fire had completely ravaged one of the rooms on the first floor. Nothing valuable was salvaged,” he said.

He explained that the call from Enugu alerted his brother that his son’s room was on fire, but repeated efforts to reach family members in the house failed.

“In the morning, my younger brother rushed to my house at Umuobia Housing Estate. Upon arrival, he found that everything in the affected room had been destroyed, and no valuables were recovered,” he added.

The circumstances surrounding the incident have raised suspicions of possible arson, with the former council chairman calling for a thorough investigation.

He noted that the building had been disconnected from public power supply for months, ruling out electrical faults. He also pointed out that the occupant of the affected room had been away for several days prior to the incident.

“The room where the fire started is on the first floor and far from the kitchen. There was no obvious source of ignition,” he said.

Madu also expressed concern that the first alert came from outside the state rather than from neighbours or residents nearby.

He further recalled a past threat against the property in December 2020, when an unidentified individual allegedly vowed to set the house ablaze.

“The only thing I can remember is that sometime in December 2020, someone threatened to burn my house, but the situation was resolved,” he said.

Describing the incident as disturbing, he called for a full investigation to determine the cause of the fire and ensure the safety of his family and property.

“This incident poses a serious threat to the safety of my children and my property. There is an urgent need for a proper investigation,” he said.

Mrs. Madu, who was at home with her children at the time, said the alarm was raised by her maid.

“There was a fire around 2:30 a.m. while we were asleep. My maid started shouting that she was choking from smoke. They ran to my room, banging and yelling, ‘Mummy, fire!’ I quickly grabbed my 10-year-old daughter and we rushed downstairs,” she recounted.

She said the smoke was traced to her son’s room.

“When we forced the door open, thick smoke filled the room and flames were coming from his bed. My son was not at home; he had travelled two days earlier,” she said.

According to her, initial efforts by her children to put out the fire were unsuccessful, prompting her to raise the alarm.

“Neighbours came out with buckets of water and helped to put out the fire through the windows before the fire service arrived,” she added.

She said the cause of the fire remains unknown, noting that there had been no public electricity supply for about two weeks, while the solar system had shut down earlier that night.

“No formal complaint has yet been lodged with the police,” she said.

When contacted, the Chief Fire Officer of Abia State, Mr. Nnana Arua, confirmed the incident and said the prompt response of firefighters helped prevent the fire from spreading.

“When we received the distress call, we responded promptly and were able to contain the fire from spreading to nearby buildings. Investigations are ongoing to determine the cause,” he said.

He reiterated the commitment of the state government to protecting lives and property, while urging residents to remain vigilant.

As of the time of filing this report, authorities had yet to issue an official statement on the incident.

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