By Late-evening fire on Wednesday night has destroyed St. Mary’s Catholic Cathedral, Wukari in the Catholic Diocese of Wukari, leaving the multi-million-naira structure in ruins.
The Director of Communications for the diocese, Rev Fr John Laikei, confirmed the incident during a phone interview, explaining that the fire broke out shortly after electricity supply was restored in the area.
According to him, the cathedral—one of the most prominent landmarks in Wukari, Taraba State—was completely destroyed by the blaze. However, he noted that no casualties were recorded.
Fr. Laikei described the incident as a devastating setback for the diocese, saying members of the church community were still in shock over the scale of destruction.
“It is a scene of utter destruction, with fire everywhere. No roofs and furniture are still standing here,” he said.
He added that the cause of the fire remains unknown, although the outbreak occurred soon after power was restored in the area. Authorities are yet to conduct a full assessment of the damage.
Fr. Laikei also lamented the absence of functional fire service vehicles in Wukari, describing it as a long-standing problem that requires urgent government intervention.
The incident comes only a few months after the Wukari Local Government Secretariat was also destroyed by a fire outbreak.
Reports indicate that fire incidents have increased significantly across Taraba in recent months, affecting homes, businesses, offices, and places of worship.
In response, the state governor, Agbu Kefas, has set up a committee to investigate the rising cases of fire outbreaks in the state.
