*Shettima donates N100m to victims
Deji Elumoye, Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja and Michael Olugbode in Maiduguri
President Muhammadu Buhari, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum and Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, yesterday, expressed sadness over the fire that razed the popular Monday Market in Maiduguri, Borno State.
Buhari called for vigilance as winds and rising temperatures increase the risks of fires in forests, homes, public buildings and markets.
Large part of multi-billion-naira Monday Market in Maiduguri, perhaps the largest market in the north-east was razed by strange fire before break of dawn on Sunday.
The fire was said to have broken out at about 2 am and could not be quenched until about 10am, leaving several billions of Naira worth of ware destroyed.
Many of the marketers who spoke to journalists on the incident were bewildered not knowing what could have happened, some of them suggested that it might have been as a result of short circuiting of electrical connections in one of the shop shortly after midnight.
Reacting to the major fire incident that razed the popular market, the president, according to a statement issued by his spokesperson, Mallam Garba Shehu, while expressing grief over the destruction caused by the incident, said the nation’s prayers and condolences were with the hardworking traders and their families who have reportedly saved very little or nothing from the fire.
Buhari commended the immediate response of the Zulum’s government to the incident and directed effective coordination and collaboration between federal and state agencies to bring needed relief to those who are affected.
The president urged the state and federal agencies responsible for fire management to strive towards higher levels of preparedness, mitigation efforts and strengthening their response mechanisms to deal with the increasing menace of market and other fire disasters.
Also, Tinubu, expressed sadness over the incident.
The former Lagos State governor in a statement issued Sunday by his Media Office and signed by Mr. Tunde Rahman, spoke of his readiness to help in the rebuilding of the market and giving succour to the victims of the inferno.
He said: “I’m deeply saddened by the news of the fire that razed down the Maiduguri Monday Market.
“My prayers and thought are with Governor Babagana Zulum, the government and people of Borno State and the direct victims who lost their wares and life investment to this rather unfortunate inferno that brought down the sprawling market that has been part of the social and economic fabric of Maiduguri for decades.”
Tinubu noted that he was encouraged by the swift response of Zulum who had already addressed the people in a statewide broadcast.
He stressed that the announcement of N1 billion relief fund by the state government was a very good first step in bringing succour to the people and assuring them they are not alone in this very trying and difficult moment.
While urging the federal government and all emergency and relief agencies, donors and public spirited individuals to extend hands of support to victims, Tinubu pledged that he would contribute handsomely to the rebuilding of the market and relief fund for victims.
Earlier, Zulum had in a quick state-wide broadcast yesterday morning, announced an emergency relief of N1 billion to provide urgent support to victims, pending assessment of the incident.
The governor’s spokesman, Malam Isa Gusau, in a statement said Zulum made a broadcast soon after he had visited the scene of the incident and had mobilised armed forces to secure the area to prevent breakdown of law and order.
Zulum, in his broadcast in Hausa and Kanuri languages to the people of the state, said: “My fellow people of Borno State, 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 pains 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 one billion naira as emergency relief for us to quickly support victims of the disaster because we know that some of them may even have difficulty of 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 comprehensive list of those affected and their losses. I will also be holding meeting with leadership of the market and representatives of victims.”
He, however urged them not to politicise the unfortunate incident.
Also, the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, sympathised with the victims of the fire incident.
Lawan sympathised with shop and property owners who must have suffered unquantifiable loss to the fire incident.
He also commiserated with the state government and the entire people of Borno over the unfortunate incident and expressed the belief that the appropriate authorities would find out the cause of the incident with a view to preventing a recurrence.
“I commiserate with all the victims particularly the traders and shop owners who are directly impacted by the early morning fire incident at the Maiduguri Monday market.
“My sympathy also goes to the government and the entire people of Borno over the incident. We thank Almighty Allah that there was no report of loss of life in the incident.
“I have no doubt that relevant authorities will thoroughly investigate the cause of the fire outbreak to prevent a recurrence,” Lawan said.
The Minister for Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management & Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq, described the incident as unfortunate and a great loss to the nation’s economy.
She said: “We received the sad news early this morning of the fire disaster which engulfed the biggest market in Maiduguri. We understand that goods and shops worth billions of naira have been destroyed by the raging fire.
“This is a great loss to the country’s economy, especially Borno state which is just beginning to recover from the destruction and losses as a result of insurgency and banditry. We sympathise with the state government and people of Borno state, especially the traders whose livelihoods have gone up in flames following the fire incident.
“I have directed the National Emergency Management Agency NEMA to help with Search and Rescue operations of property to see what can be salvaged and to ascertain the level of damage and loss at the Monday Market.”
The Governor of Yobe State, Hon. Mai Mala Buni, sympathised with the government and people of Borno state.
The governor in a statement signed by his spokesman, Mamman Mohammed, described as sad, regrettable and unfortunate the fire inferno at the market, a business hub that provides means of livelihood to many people.
Meanwhile, the APC vice presidential candidate, Senator Kashim Shettima, donated N100 million as personal support to those affected by the incident.
Shettima announced his donation yesterday, while briefing the press shortly after he paid sympathy visit on Zulum at the Government House in Maiduguri.
Shettima was two term Governor of Borno State from 2011 to 2019 and he currently represent central part of the state at the senate of senate.
“It saddens my heart to address you this afternoon on the unfortunate fire incident at Maiduguri Monday market. This is a very famous market; it is the nerve centre of commercial activities in the northeastern sub-region.
“I am here to commiserate with Governor Zulum, his eminence the Shehu of Borno and the people of Borno State, over the sad development.
“As my modest contribution towards cushioning the effects of the sad incident, I am making a personal donation of N100 million for the victims of the fire disaster,” he added.
