By: Kadijatu Bangura, Daily Scope
The National Disaster Management Agency has ordered an inter-agency investigation after a fourth fire in five months ripped through Nyapui School for Girls, destroying its main administrative block and fueling suspicion that the outbreaks are not accidental.
NDMA Director General John Vandy Rogers led senior officials to the school on Saturday 13 June 2026 to assess damage from Thursday’s blaze, which razed the Principal’s Office, Computer Laboratory, administrative offices, and temporary classrooms sheltering students displaced by earlier fires.
“We cannot continue to witness repeated fire outbreaks of this magnitude at a single educational institution without a thorough investigation,” Rogers told staff and local authorities during the visit.
The planned committee will pull in environmental agencies, security institutions, and local councils to establish the cause and recommend prevention measures. The NDMA said the frequency of incidents has raised serious concern over possible deliberate acts.
Emergency crews led by the NDMA’s Eastern Region Team contained Thursday’s fire. The affected building has been sealed to preserve evidence for forensic review.
Rogers said government is committed to restoring learning at Nyapui, calling it a vital institution that draws pupils from across Sierra Leone and beyond. He pledged to engage development partners for relief support and reconstruction materials.
Deputy Director General Sulaiman B. Sowa said safeguarding schools is central to national development. Chief of Operations Kai Banya promised sustained coordination with stakeholders to aid recovery and tighten prevention.
The repeated fires have left students and staff traumatized and triggered severe shortages of classrooms and accommodation, disrupting academic work.
The NDMA said the inquiry will run alongside efforts to rebuild and secure the school against further disasters.
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