By Peter Onyekachukwu 
By Peter Onyekachukwu, Kano
A mid-afternoon fire on Thursday disrupted academic activities and caused panic at the popular Ado Bayero House in Kofar Nassarawa, Kano, as part of the building housing Northwest University’s city campus was engulfed in flames.
Eyewitnesses told our correspondent that the fire broke out on the ninth floor of the high-rise, affecting the university’s Department of Computer Science. Though the full extent of the damage is yet to be determined, some offices and educational materials were reportedly destroyed.
“We saw thick smoke billowing from the top floor and everyone began to rush out. The fire seemed to start from one of the rooms used by students in the computer science department,” said a shopkeeper operating near the complex.
As at the time of filing this report, efforts to get an official comment from the Kano State Fire Service proved abortive, as calls and messages to the spokesperson, Saminu Yusif Abdullahi, went unanswered.
No casualties have been reported, but the incident has raised concerns over fire safety measures in high-rise buildings and institutions operating within shared commercial spaces.