Fire Razes Popular Maiduguri Restaurant
A devastating fire broke out on Sunday, November 16, 2025, gutting a significant portion of the popular Kayat Restaurant located on Polo Road in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State. The incident sent shockwaves through the community as emergency teams rushed to contain the blaze that threatened to destroy the entire establishment.
Emergency Response and Eyewitness Accounts
According to eyewitness reports, the fire started around 11 a.m. and quickly spread through parts of the building. The Borno State Fire Service responded promptly to the emergency, with additional support from police units who helped secure the area and manage crowd control.
Umar Abdullahi, an eyewitness who was at the scene, described the intensity of the fire. "I just passed there now. A significant part of the place was still catching fire. However, there were fire service people there trying to douse the fire," he stated.
Another witness, Martina Joseph, praised the professional handling of the situation by emergency responders. "The situation was professionally handled, they quickly controlled the movement of cars and people. From what I saw, only the building and maybe some materials caught fire," Joseph explained, noting that bystanders were kept at a safe distance throughout the operation.
Official Response and Ongoing Investigation
The Borno State Police Command confirmed their active involvement in the rescue operations. Nahum Daso, the Public Relations Officer of the command, stated that police teams from the GRA police station were on ground providing assistance to fire service personnel.
Authorities have not yet determined the exact cause of the fire. Attempts to reach Fati Fali Murtala, the Public Relations Officer of the Federal Fire Service in Borno, were unsuccessful at the time of reporting, leaving the investigation ongoing.
This incident follows a similar fire outbreak that occurred in March at an electronics shop in Monday Market, Maiduguri, which resulted in losses worth millions of naira. The recurrence of such incidents has raised concerns about fire safety measures in commercial areas of the city.
The quick response by emergency services prevented what could have been a more catastrophic event, though the restaurant suffered substantial damage to its structure and contents. Residents and business owners in the area are awaiting official statements regarding the cause and preventive measures for future incidents.
