Fire razes Bishop Fearon’s duplex in Kaduna

A fire has razed down a four-bedroom duplex belonging to the chairman of the Kaduna Peace Commission, Archbishop Josiah Idowu-Fearon in Kaduna.

The duplex, which also houses the Centre for Christianity and Islamic Studies, is said to have been worth millions of naira.

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According to an eye witness, the inferno was caused by a worker in one of the houses that neighbours Bishop Fearon’s house.

“The man (name withheld) was warned not to carry out the bush burning but all the warning fell on deaf ears until the unexpected happened,” a witness who pleaded anonymity said.

Archibisop Fearon who is presently the Secretary General of Anglican Communion Worldwide with headquarters in London expressed shock and disappointment over the incidence.

When contacted on phone for his reaction, he simply said, “Your love and concern are appreciated, may the Lord bless you. You know these uneducated people around us, what does one do other than just warn and leave them to God.

“My library had between 6500 – 7000 volumes with almost half on Islamic books and a good number out of print.

“God saved the ground floor as an evidence that God approves of our Centre bringing Muslim & Christian leaders to study & share their faith with one another. We give all the glory to God,” he said.

The house which is a four-bedroom ensuite duplex had the three rooms upstairs—the Bishop’s room, that of his wife, his library—gym and one other room completely razed down with no single item taken away from it.

An eye witness, Hadiza Haruna who is the Bishop’s house help said all efforts by the fire service men who came with about five trucks to put out the fire did not yield much result as much damage had already been done.