Mysterious Fire Burns Down Sokoto Central Market

Reports just reaching us reveal that fire has gutted no fewer than eleven shops at the Sokoto Central Market.

An eyewitness told NAN that, the inferno which occurred on Tuesday night was put out following the combined efforts of Firemen from the state Fire Service, personnel of the civil defence corps, the police, traders as well as some good Samaritans.

It was gathered that the inferno was finally put out at about 3.00am on Wednesday.
Some of the affected traders who spoke with newsmen said the fire which started at about 12.00 midnight, destroyed goods and property estimated at millions of naira.

One of the firemen at the scene, Mamman Dan-Tullo said: “there was no public electricity supply when the fire started but subsequent investigations will reveal the likely causes of the fire. No life was lost due to the inferno and there was no injury, only the heavy losses incurred by the affected traders.”
Another affected trader who gave his name as Abubakar Murtala, disclosed that he lost assorted food items, cosmetics, essential commodities, detergents and cash, among others, to the inferno.

Murtala, however, expressed happiness that no life was lost, but lamented that the incident had set them backward.

“We have been taken backward as we have lost all that we had laboured for several decades,” he said.
Meanwhile, Alhaji Aminu Maisuga, another victim of the destructive inferno pleaded with the state Government and other public spirited individuals to help ameliorate their plight.

“We want assistance in terms of money to re-start our businesses, and we appeal to the state government to immediately renovate the burnt shops,” Maisuga said.

Reacting to the incident, Alhaji Bashiru Isa, a staff officer of the market, promised that the management would forward a report of the incident to the government for prompt action.

“The state government will surely rehabilitate the burnt shops and render necessary financial assistance to the victims,” Isa said.

The state Commandant of the Nigeria Civil Defence Corps, Mr Yusha’u Yamel said its officials had been deployed to the affected section of the market to provide security and prevent any attempt to loot.
Meanwhile, fire incidents at commercial places are becoming very rampant as it would be recalled that fire also gut a section of Uselu Market situated on Ugbowo road, Egor Local Government Area of Edo state on Monday night.

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