President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development to advise on how to avoid future fire incidents in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps.

The President’s directive was given on the heels of a fire incident, which occurred at the Ngala IDP Camp in Borno State, which reportedly claimed lives of 14 persons and left several others injured on Thursday.

President Buhari, in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, also charged the Ministry to carry out a thorough investigation of the incident and unravel the circumstances that led to the fire.

He, however, expressed sadness over the incident, especially over the death of 14 internally displaced persons, describing it as “extremely horrifying”.

“President Muhammadu Buhari Thursday evening described as ‘extremely horrifying’, the news of the death of 14 persons and injury to many from a fire incident at an IDP camp in Ngala, Borno State.

“Reacting to the sad incident, the President directed the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development to investigate and report the circumstances leading to the incident, and advise on how a future occurrence will be averted.

“He further directed that urgently needed assistance be immediately given to the victims, and prayed to Allah to repose the souls of those whose lives were lost, and the quick recovery of the injured persons”, the statement said.