A fire outbreak on December 28, 2024, around 1 p.m. destroyed the Odenigbo Nsukka Deeper Life Church and several nearby shops in Nsukka, Enugu State.

Residents were thrown into confusion as the inferno consumed over 10 shops, including a motorcycle repair workshop, leaving many wailing over their losses. Vanguard reports that it took the intervention of Wilson Fire Service, a private firefighting unit, to control the blaze.

When Vanguard visited the scene, numerous shops had been reduced to ashes. A team of policemen assisted in combating the fire, while shop owners struggled to salvage remnants of their goods.

Eyewitnesses, speaking anonymously, stated that the cause of the fire remains unknown, though some suspect a power surge. One victim praised the efforts of Wilson Agbo (popularly known as “Son of Paddy”) for using firefighting equipment to manage the fire. Despite the intervention, the church and properties worth millions of naira were completely destroyed.

No casualties were reported, but not a single item was saved from the church. Efforts to reach the Enugu State Fire Service and the Nsukka Local Government Chairman, Chinedu Asogwa, were unsuccessful at the time of reporting.