No fewer than five children have lost their lives following the collapse of a perimeter fence in a residential area of Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

The tragic incident, which occurred on Monday afternoon, was said to have happened after a section of an ageing concrete fence gave way and fell on the children while they were playing nearby.

An eyewitness, who spoke to the Sources, said the fence collapsed suddenly, trapping the children under heavy concrete blocks and rubble.

“The children were playing close to the fence when it collapsed. Neighbours rushed to the scene and tried to rescue them, but it was already too late for some of them,” the eyewitness said.

Emergency responders and residents reportedly worked together to remove the debris, while the injured victims were rushed to a nearby hospital for medical attention.

A resident of the area, Malam Abubakar Musa, described the incident as heartbreaking, noting that the fence had shown visible signs of weakness before the collapse.

“The fence was old and cracked. People had complained about it, especially now that the dry season heat weakens structures,” he said.

Confirming the incident, the Borno State Police Command said five children were confirmed dead, while others sustained varying degrees of injuries.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, ASP Nahum Daso, told NAN that an investigation had commenced to determine the exact cause of the collapse and possible negligence.

“The command has received a report of the incident. Our officers visited the scene, and five children were confirmed dead. Investigation is ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding the fence collapse,” he said.

He added that the bodies of the deceased had been deposited at a morgue, while efforts were ongoing to support the affected families.

Meanwhile, residents have called on authorities and property owners to regularly inspect old and weak structures to prevent similar occurrences.

Some community leaders also urged the state government to enforce building safety regulations, particularly in densely populated areas, to avert avoidable loss of lives.

The Borno State Government has yet to issue an official statement on the incident as at the time of filing this report.