Traders Count Losses as Fire Continue to Raze – the Biggest Market in the Northeast of Nigeria
By Adamkolo M Ibrahim
Fire fighters have continued to struggle to contain the fire that engulfed Maiduguri Monday Market, which started at about 1a.m. on Sunday, February 26th, 2023.
As at 11:30am, only three fire trucks were on hand to battle the inferno, which had consumed most of the market. Some angry traders who started vandalising public property in protest against the slow response of firefighters were however pacified by Governor Babagana Zulum and security agents.
The protesting traders vandalised many vehicles, attacked and injured people, including a female journalist working with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA).
Some of the affected structures consumed by the fire included essential commodities shops, boutiques, and poultry and second hand materials shops, among others.
Hundreds of the affected traders were seen struggling and collecting what remained of their property in the rubble, while some were watching helplessly as the fire continued to ravage more structures. Ibrahim Babagana, one of the traders, told journalists that the fire gutted the market from different angles, resulting in the destruction of many shops. “This is my shop, I lost everything,” he said, pointing to his smouldering goods.
Bukar Goni, another trader who deals in fabrics, said he did not salvage anything in his two shops. “I lost over N150 million goods to the fire,” he added. The Commissioner of Police, Abdu Umar, said security agents had been deployed to prevent looting by hoodlums who may want to take advantage of the situation.
Furthermore, Governor Babagana Umara Zulum has announced N1 billion emergency relief for victims of Monday market fire in Maiduguri, Borno State. The governor visited the market Sunday morning after fire gutted many shops. He said the funds would provide urgent support to victims, pending assessment of the incident.
The governor’s spokesperson, Malam Isa Gusau, in a statement, said Zulum had visited the scene of the incident and had mobilised armed forces to secure the area to prevent breakdown of law and order.
The statement reads, “We woke up today with a very sad and unfortunate fire disaster at the Maiduguri Monday Market. This is very unfortunate but we believe that this is decreed by Allah. ‘Inna lillahi Wa inna ilayhi raajiun.’ I feel deeply pained by this incident and I know how painful it is for anyone to work hard over years to build his or her business but end up losing that investment in seconds.
“I really feel the pain of everyone affected by this incident. I commiserate with all of you. I kindly and most respectfully urge you to be calm and patient. I know how bad you feel and insha-Allah, the Borno State Government is already taking the following measures to ameliorate the situation.
“I have approved the release of N1 billion as emergency relief for us to quickly support victims of the disaster because we know that some of them may even have difficulty surviving the next few days. Many rely on daily businesses in order to cater for themselves.
“We are setting up an assessment committee that will comprise respectable individuals from our society including representatives of the victims, for us to speedily assess damages, and take a comprehensive list of those affected and their losses. I will also be holding meetings with leadership of the market and representatives of victims.
“I am going to see Mr President [President Muhammadu Buhari] and seek presidential intervention on how to get support for victims.
“We will also reach out to other humanitarian establishments to seek help. Insha’Allah, we will be taking firm measures towards preventing recurrence of this fire disaster that has occurred in previous years.
“I would like to respectfully appeal to everyone for calmness. I know how you feel. I feel your pain and we will support you through whatever means we can, insha-Allah.
“In the meantime, I urge us not to politicize this unfortunate incident. I recognize that the incident is happening at a political time, but we all know the Monday market has unfortunately faced fire disaster in previous times and this is sad.
“We have to find ways of ensuring this unfortunate fire disaster does not happen again and we will work together to ensure this.
