Fresh Details Emerge From Utumishi Girls Fire As Suspects Speak
Suspects in the Utumishi Girls Academy dormitory fire have revealed their intentions for the arson attack, which killed 16 girls and injured several more.
Investigators have questioned at least seven teenagers presently in police custody, and their answers provide additional insight into the events leading up to the catastrophe.
According to reports, the school administration’s decision to change examination dates from June 16 to June 2 sparked anger among certain Form Four students.
Preliminary findings also indicate that conflicts between senior students and administration arose from arguments over donations to a cultural event.
BREAKING NEWS
An alleged cctv footage from Utimishi Girls Academy reportedly shows several girls arranging mattresses at the exit before setting them ablaze. A surviving student who was trapped inside one of the cubicles is said to have witnessed the incident
THREAD pic.twitter.com/p4T5v7uuKG— Evan wa Memba (@EvanoMemba) May 29, 2026
The learners were reportedly aggrieved and protested a directive requiring them to shoulder the costs of a cultural event previously funded by the school.
As a secondary motive, the suspects also admitted to being determined to torch their dormitory to join the growing trend of strikes that have taken place over the last two weeks.
In the course of investigations, detectives have also established that the arson attack was fast-tracked, with initial plans allegedly made at around 9 p.m., approximately three hours before the fire broke out at around midnight.
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Investigators are now probing the possible involvement of outsiders and how the students allegedly accessed kerosene used in the arson attack.
The seven suspects who were captured in the CCTV footage released by the school also stated that their intention was not to cause harm to anyone, but to burn down the dormitory as a way to express their anger.
CCTV footage appears to show eight students starting the dormitory fire that k!lled 16 girls in Kenya pic.twitter.com/bGI3I77O2Z— Bodex Media Nigeria (@bodexng) June 1, 2026
The Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has since directed all schools to install CCTV cameras in key areas across their premises to monitor student activity and prevent future fire incidents.
Education CS Julius Ogamba separately ordered a fresh round of inspections across all boarding schools nationwide, to be completed within 10 days, with strict action to follow against any school found endangering students.
The inspections will largely focus on dormitories, following Interior Ministry preliminary reports flagging that most school fires in the country have historically targeted sleeping quarters in boarding institutions.
Fresh Details Emerge From Utumishi Girls Fire As Suspects Speak
