₦airaland Forum

One of the entrances into the Sabon Gari market
Kano yesterday. | Photo: Sani Maikatanga
About N2 trillion worth of goods were destroyed in
Kano market’s fire outbreak, weekend, the
traders’ association said yesterday.
Also, Nigeria’s disaster management agency,
NEMA, said over 3,800 shops were burnt in the
inferno which it described as the worst market
fire disaster in Nigeria.
On his part, the emir of Kano, Malam
Muhammadu Sanusi ll, has called on the federal
and state governments to launch an investigation
immediately.
Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has inaugurated
a 9-man committee to assess the level of
damage and the traders affected.
The committee, chaired by Alhaji Alin Bagadaza,
was also mandated to advise the government on
how to resettle the affected traders. The
committee has five days to submit its report.
Speaking to newsmen earlier, the chairman of
Sabon Gari Market traders’ association, Alhaji
Nafi’u Nuhu Indabo said over 75 per cent of the
market was burnt down.
He said: “Many traders lost both goods and cash
in the fire. Only God knows what we actually lost
to the fire, but sincerely speaking traders have
lost a fortune.”
He lamented that the fire started in the night
when there was nobody in the market to take
preventive measures against its spread.
During a visit to the market, NEMA Director
General Alhaji Sani Sidi, confirmed to reporters
that 3,800 shops were burnt down by the fire.
He added that 15 people were hospitalised for
inhaling too much smoke and minor injuries.
Sidi said: “This is the biggest market fire outbreak
Nigeria has ever witnessed. This is a serious
calamity.”
On assistance, Sidi said an assessment of the
situation was ongoing which would determine the
level of help to be rendered to the victims.
He assured the victims that help would soon
come their way.
Addressing the press after visiting the scene of
the disaster, the emir Malam Muhammadu Sanusi
ll, asked the federal and state governments to
investigate all the causes of recent fire outbreaks
in some Kano markets and schools.
The emir also called on the Kano state
government to restructure all Kano markets in
order to modernise them and make them safe.
Sanusi called on the traders to imbibe the culture
of Islamic insurance (Takaful) so as to recover
their losses in case of disasters.
Traders recount losses
When our correspondent visited the market
yesterday the affected traders were seen clearing
their shops, while thousands of sympathizers
continued trooping to the market to sympathize
with the affected traders.
Speaking to Daily Trust, the chairman Sabon-Gari
United Traders Association, Alhaji Alin Bagadaza
said: “It is too early for us to make assessment,
but losses were huge.”
He said the executives of the union had met with
Governor Ganduje who had agreed to their request
that victims be allowed clear the rubble from their
shops and to continue with business.
He said the government had provided them with
60 tippers and 12 loaders and other heavy
equipment to evacuate the debris.
Uwaisu Ali Baba, who sells shoes, said his three
shops had been burnt. He said: “Blocks A, B, C,
D, L were burnt and goods worth billions of naira
destroyed.”
He said approximately over 18,000 traders were
affected by the disaster.
“Concerning the estimate of cash lost, I cannot
do that because many people have lost cash. I
know somebody who lost over N300m,” he
stated.
Another victim, Isma’ila Sani, said he lost over
N15m. “I was not able to remove even a pair of
shoes,” adding, “my brothers also lost about N7m
in the disaster.
‘We have left everything to God. But to be honest
with you we have to start from the scratch. We
have lost both goods and cash.”
He called on the government to investigate and
punished those found culpable.
When our correspondent visited the market
yesterday around 12pm, fire fighters were still
battling to extinguish fresh outbreak that engulfed
more shops.
A fire service official, Muhammad Abdullahi said
they were on routine checks when they noticed
fire in some of the shops.
“We are still battling with the fire. The fire is still
ravaging goods. We will continue doing our best
to put it off,” he assured.

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Tallesty1:
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Happy birthday dearie, cheers!

Suigeneris93:
Happy birthday dearie, cheers!

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