Gov Zulum calls for investigation as fire razes Maiduguri GSM market

Dozens of shops and property worth millions of Naira were destroyed in Thursday night fire at the Maiduguri GSM market.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the fire started at about 8:00 pm and lasted for several hours before it was extinguished through the fire servicemen, security personnel and members of the community.

The market popularly called “Kasuwar Jagol,” is located at Post Office area of the metropolis, providing business spaces to thousands of traders and artisans in the area.

Mr Ambursa Pindar, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Borno Fire Service who confirmed the incident, said that the service deployed five fire-fighting vehicles to the scene of the fire.

Pindar said that the service would conduct an assessment to ascertain the extent of the damage.

An eye witness, Mr Abdulrahman Tahir, said the fire started at one of the shops and engulfed other shops in the market.

Tahir, a cell phone vendor, lamented that a number of traders lost their goods to the fire.

He, however, said that he successfully retrieved his goods after the rapid response of the fire servicemen and security personnel who put out the fire.

NAN reports that armed security personnel were deployed to the market to guard against looting by hoodlums.

Meanwhile, Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno has directed that an investigation be carried out to ascertain the cause of the fire incident.

Mr Isa Gusau, the Special Adviser to the governor on Public Relations and Strategy, announced this in a statement issued on Friday in Maiduguri.

Gusau disclosed that Zulum directed the Chief of Staff, Government House, Mr Babagana Wakil, to investigate the cause, assess the damage and submit its report within 24 hours.

“The governor directed the Chief of staff, Government House and five commissioners to assess the fire incident and report back.

“The commissioners whose ministries relate to commerce, home affairs, poverty alleviation and jobs creation are to assess damage, interact with respondents, victims and other relevant persons in order to generate immediate report required by the governor.

“The governor intends to study the report and take actions deemed necessary.

“Zulum shared the pains of those whose means of livelihood and assets were torched,” Gusau said.