A devastating fire has claimed the lives of at least 11 people, including several children, after an orphanage in Algeria’s capital, Algiers, was engulfed in flames in the early hours of Thursday.

The deadly incident occurred in the Mohammadia suburb as Algeria continues to grapple with an intense heatwave that has triggered hundreds of wildfires across the country’s northern regions.

Firefighters responded to the scene before dawn and battled the blaze for hours in an effort to contain the flames.

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A nearby resident, Abdessalam Merrah, recounted the horrifying moments when the fire broke out.

“At around 3 a.m., we heard the fire engines arriving and the children screaming,” he said.
“We helped as much as we could, but unfortunately we were told that 11 people had already died.”

Authorities said the death toll is provisional, while 19 other people were injured in the fire. The cause of the blaze has not yet been established.

Images from the scene showed blackened window frames and heavy fire damage to the orphanage.

A witness said firefighters had to use a chainsaw to cut through metal window bars to gain access to parts of the building during the rescue operation.

Rachid Belhadj, head of the forensic medicine department at Mustapha Bacha Hospital, said several of the victims were burned beyond recognition, making DNA testing necessary to confirm their identities.

Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune later confirmed that “several children” were among those killed in the tragedy.

National television also broadcast footage of Prime Minister Sifi Ghrieb visiting survivors receiving treatment at two hospitals in Algiers.

932 Fires Recorded in One Week
The orphanage tragedy comes as Algeria battles a severe heatwave that has fuelled widespread wildfires across the country.

According to the Civil Defence, 932 fires were recorded between July 8 and July 15, with the majority already extinguished while a handful remain active.

The worsening fire crisis has also claimed the life of a municipal worker who died while battling a wildfire in the northern province of Setif earlier this week.

To contain the fires, authorities have deployed more than 19,000 emergency personnel, over 700 fire trucks, six helicopters, and 12 water-bombing aircraft.

Residents have also been evacuated from several affected provinces, including Bejaia, Guelma, Bouira, and Mila, as emergency teams continue to battle the blazes.

Northern Algeria is hit by forest fires almost every summer, with experts pointing to prolonged drought and climate change as major factors behind the worsening outbreaks.

Authorities have also said they suspect some of the fires were deliberately started, with several suspects already taken into custody.

The Kano State Hisbah Board has announced a ban on the downloading and distribution of movies through mobile phones across the state, saying the move is aimed at protecting public morality and promoting Islamic values.

The directive, which applies to all 44 local government areas of Kano State, was announced on Thursday by the Deputy Commander General of the board, Dr. Mujahid Aminuddeen.

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According to Aminuddeen, the decision followed complaints that some operators involved in the business were distributing pornographic films and other video materials considered offensive to Islamic teachings and the cultural values of the state.

“The Hisbah board has banned downloading and distribution of movies through mobile phones across the 44 local government areas in the state,” he said.

The Deputy Commander General disclosed that Hisbah personnel have already been deployed across the state to ensure compliance with the directive through routine patrols and enforcement operations.

“The board has deployed its personnel to monitor compliance through routine patrols and enforcement operations across the state. Anyone found violating the directive will face legal action in accordance with the laws of Kano State,” Aminuddeen warned.

He urged those whose livelihoods are affected by the ban to seek alternative lawful means of earning a living, stressing that the measure is intended to protect young people from harmful content and preserve the state’s moral values.

Aminuddeen further linked the growing rate of moral decadence among youths to the increasing consumption of indecent films and videos, insisting that stronger measures were necessary to curb the trend.

The Kano State Hisbah Board, which enforces Sharia-related regulations in the state, has in recent years introduced several policies aimed at promoting Islamic values and restricting activities and content it considers contrary to the state’s religious and cultural norms.

The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has launched a fresh nationwide compliance exercise that could see 100,000 Nigerian companies removed from the country’s corporate register for failing to file annual returns and other mandatory statutory documents.

In a public notice issued on Wednesday, the commission announced that the exercise, tagged Batch 6, is being conducted in line with Section 692 (3) and (4) of the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA), 2020.

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According to the CAC, the names of all affected companies have been published on its official website, with the defaulting firms given a 90-day deadline to regularise their records or face deregistration.

The commission stated, “This is to notify the General Public and Esteemed Customers that the Corporate Affairs Commission has commenced another round of striking off names of companies from the Register pursuant to the provisions of Section 692 (3) and (4) of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 2020.”

It urged the affected companies to immediately file all outstanding annual returns, including Persons with Significant Control (PSC)/Beneficial Ownership information, within the stipulated period.

“The affected companies are hereby advised to take steps to file all outstanding Annual Returns (and by extension Persons with Significant Control/Beneficial Ownership information) and regularize their records within ninety (90) days of this notice,” the commission said.

The CAC also directed companies that comply with the directive to submit proof of compliance via its designated email address.

“Evidence of compliance should be sent to the designated [email protected],” the notice added.

The commission warned that companies that fail to act before the expiration of the 90-day window would be removed from the register without any additional notice.

“Please note that companies that fail to comply within the stipulated timeline shall be struck off the Register without further notice,” the CAC warned.

Reaffirming its commitment to improving corporate compliance and service delivery, the commission said, “The Commission remains committed to providing prompt and efficient services to the satisfaction of our valued customers.”

The latest exercise is part of the CAC’s ongoing efforts to maintain an accurate and up-to-date register of active companies while ensuring compliance with Nigeria’s corporate regulations.