Fire razes Catholic Cathedral in Taraba

A fire outbreak has destroyed St. Mary’s Catholic cathedral in Wukari, Taraba State.

It was gathered that the incident, which occurred on Wednesday night, March 4, 2025, completely razed the church building. 

Fr. John Laikei, Director of Communications for the Catholic Diocese of Wukari, said the fire started shortly after electricity was restored in the area where the church is located.

He described the incident as a “major setback” for the diocese, adding that members were still in shock over the development.

The priest said the exact cause of the fire has not yet been determined.

“I can confirm that it coincided with the restoration of electricity. I must also inform you that the authorities have yet to evaluate the extent of the damage caused by the fire,” he said.

It was learnt that the absence of functional fire service vehicles in Wukari worsened the situation, as members of the church watched helplessly while the fire destroyed the entire structure.

The St. Mary’s Catholic Cathedral fire incident came barely a month after a similar fire destroyed the Wukari Local Government Secretariat.