Several worshippers were Friday night trapped when a devastating fire engulfed a parish of the Christ Apostolic Church in Ibadan, Oyo State.
According to eyewitness accounts on Saturday morning, the incident occurred at about 9:30 pm at Wisdom Estate, Road 1G, Olohunda Road, in the Lagelu Local Government Area.
A source said the church was hosting a Friday vigil when the fire broke out.
The source narrated, “The incident happened in the night around 9:30pm. I think they were having Friday vigil. Some worshippers had already slept, to have some rest before they start vigil when the incident happened.”
Another source described the harrowing scene, saying “There was an aged woman, very old to the extent that she could not walk properly. She was still inside the church when the fire was raging seriously.”
A church member, who requested anonymity, said, “People were still inside the church during the fire. I will get back to you later, please.”
As of the time of reporting, the exact cause of the fire remains unclear.
Confirming the incident, the General Manager of Oyo State Fire Services, Akinyemi Akinyinka, said, “Our men were there based on information from one Kunle Junaid.”
He promised to provide further updates.
