*No casualty recorded, millions of naira worth property destroyed
By; SADIQ ABUBAKAR Maiduguri
Residents of Maiduguri city early morning Sunday, were shocked with a fire outbreak that engulfed the famous Maiduguri International Market, located at Ahmadu Bello Way at the Central Business District of the state capital, Maiduguri.
However, there was no life lost or casually recorded, but property worth hundreds of millions it Naira were lost to the mysterious fire outbreak as the actual cause of the fire outbreak in the market was still unknown as at the time of filing this report.
This happened in the early hours of the day, as Nigerians were anxiously awaiting the outcome of Saturday’s presidential election, held simultaneously with the National Assembly election across the country.
But a CJTF leader, Kakami Bakura told Our Maiduguri correspondemt at the scene of the inferno on Sunday morning, that, “in fact it is quite unfortunate that this kind of eventuality usual occurs in most of the major markets of Maiduguri city.
“And whoever this fire befalls in the markets, nobody can claim to know the root causes of the fire. This is how it happens at the. Gamboru Customs Area famous market. Same thing with the Monday International Market and even the Bags Road’s Fish International Market, all within the metropolis.
”Oga journalist, can you also remember that up till now, nobody is found or caught responsibile, except in some instances, they link the inferno to electricity wire spark or windstorm if it is harmattan period or during raining season.
”’Because nobody has ever been seen or caught or arrested, no one has been said to be responsible for these huge losses and destruction of public and innocent people’s investments.
”Worst of it all, nobody is usually left inside the market, as all the gates are usually locked whenever the market closes everyday by the security and officials of the Monday Market. And the market gates will not be opened again up till the next morning around 9 to 10am for business of the day and close or lock again 6-6.30 pm or so,” Bakura said.
Another CJTF, Baana Kolomi said, “one surprising thing is that this market is surrounded by CJTF 24 hours daily, day and night. Apart from the usual patrol team, vehicles of the CTJF and other security agents JTF on surveillance, so, there is no how someone can enter the market without being seen or caught.
”But from the past fire incidents, and in other markets, the problem of electricity wiring has always been identified to be the root cause of most of the fire outbreaks, either from a shop or office or pole inside the market, without anyone inside to help put off the fire at the beginning of the outbreak before it spreads to other shops and stores.
”Yes sir. No fire service office inside the market. Nobody is allowed inside just like that. Nobody even sleeps inside the market. Once it is locked, it is locked, till the next morning and this fire outbreak occurs overnight, when there is no one in the market,” Kolomi said.
Efforts to get officials of the Monday Market Management Agency to speak failed as at the time of going to press, while police authority was yet to issue out a statement on the inferno.
