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• Victims of Maiduguri market fire outbreak recount ordeals, seek help
From Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri
Emotions were high on Tuesday, March 1, 2023. That day, victims of the fire that razed International Market, Maiduguri, Borno State, recounted their experiences and shared their fears. They were sad and hopeless.
They told stories of what actually transpired on that night and how the outbreak wrecked their lives. Abdullahi Dawud, a grain merchant in the market told Daily Sun: “It is a big loss to me. My two shops and bags of foodstuffs just delivered to me were all burnt to ashes. I lost all. I lost my entire life-wire.”
He was standing by the side of a pavement watching as officials of the Borno State Environmental Protection Agency (BOSEPA), cleared the debris of the burnt market. His eyes were watery and withdrawn as the ruins were lifted into the waiting van.
Saleh Mohammed sells ladies’ under wears. His story: “We are still bearing the pains of poor sales and naira scarcity when the fire incident occurred. It added to our pains. We are going to start from ground zero when government eventually rebuilds the market.
“I never imagined anything like this. Not in my dreams and not in real life. I was sleeping at home when they called me that the market was on fire. I woke up and ran to the market at about 5:30am in the morning. Someone with a car quickly conveyed me to the market.
“Unfortunately, I arrived a little bit late and couldn’t save anything from my shop. By the time I got there, everything was up in flame. I couldn’t pick anything.
“I have two wives and several children to feed. I wonder how we will survive the big loss. I appeal to authorities concerned not to leave us to our fate.”
For Uzoamaka, the fire has exacerbated her woes: “Everything got burnt. I lost everything. It is a week now and I can’t get anything to feed. I’m hungry as I speak now. I don’t have anything to feed my children. This tragedy has increased our woes.”
Also known as Maiduguri Monday Market, it was built over 40 years ago as a local trading centre. In 1979, the administration of governor Mohammed Goni, upgraded it to an international commercial centre.
Since then, the market has been attracting people from across Nigeria and neighbouring African countries of Chad, Niger, Cameroon as well as Central Africa Republic.
Victor Izekor, a journalist who covered the foundation laying ceremony of the market, recalled that the market had various parking slots, drive-ways, walk-ways, fire service unit, Sharia Court and police post, some of which had been distorted as time went by.
He said the original plan of the market was jettisoned as successive market managers failed to stop the indiscriminate erection of kiosks and shops in places not designated for commercial purpose.
Some witnesses told Daily Sun that fire service officers could not access the market due to the various obstructions on its driveways, a situation that accounted for the unimpressive pace of intervention by fire service and the enormous losses recorded by the traders.
They added that many criminals attempted to loot the properties, which were either half burnt or were yet to be torched. It took the intervention of security personnel at the market to secure some of these items.
President Muhammadu Buhari was at the market to commiserate with the people and government of the state. He was also at the palace of the Shehu of Borno, Abubakar El Kanemi, where he shared similar sentiments.
Governor Babagana Zulum has been to the market several times since the outbreak. He told the people in a state broadcast: “I will 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.
“I recognise that the incident is happening at a political time. But we all know the Monday Market has unfortunately faced fire disasters in previous times and this is sad. We have to find ways of ensuring this unfortunate fire disaster does not happen again.”
He announced the release of N1 billion as support to the affected traders. He equally constituted a committee to investigate the cause of the fire, proffer remedies and commence the rebuilding of the market.
Secretary of the committee and General Manager, Maiduguri Monday Market, Mustapha Loskori, said the clearing exercise may last for a week: “The governor was at the market again early Tuesday to monitor the exercise. An estimated 20,000 traders and others were affected.”
Meanwhile, Yobe State Government donated N100 million. National Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Adamu, also announced a N100 million donation for rebuilding the market.
