By Peter Onyekachukwu 
By Peter Onyekachukwu
A late-night fire on Thursday gutted the Female Hostel Annex at Gombe State University, leaving several students counting their losses.
Eyewitnesses said the incident began around 9:30 pm, forcing students to flee for safety while abandoning their belongings.
In the absence of immediate help, both male and female students mobilized to battle the flames before fire service personnel arrived at the scene.
Although no life was lost and there were no reports of serious injuries, a substantial part of the hostel was destroyed, with many students losing personal items.
University officials confirmed that an investigation had been launched to determine the cause and extent of the destruction.
The Public Relations Officer of the institution, Mr. Hadu Ligari, issued a statement confirming the incident and assuring the public that the situation had been contained.
“This is to inform the University Community, parents, guardians, and the general public that there was a fire incident at the Female Hostel Annex yesterday, October 2, 2025, at about 9:00 pm. We are grateful to confirm that no life was lost, and the situation has since been brought under control,” Ligari stated.
He added that the university management is currently assessing the damages and will release a comprehensive statement once findings are concluded.
Sources within the campus, however, linked the fire outbreak to a possible cooking gas explosion, as students had recently been allowed to use gas cylinders in the hostels after a previous ban was lifted.
The incident has sparked fresh debate over campus safety policies, with students and staff calling for tighter regulations to prevent similar disasters in the future.