The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq, has expressed sadness over the fire incident which gutted the Monday Market in Maiduguri, Borno State, early Sunday.
The raging inferno which was said to have started at about 2 a.m., spread to different parts of the market, destroying many shops and property worth billions of Naira.
A statement issued by the minister’s special assistant on media, Nneka Ikem Anibeze, quoted her as describing the incident as “unfortunate and a great loss to the nation’s economy”.
Hajiya Sadiya 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 35-year-old Monday Market is the largest trading hub in the North-east. Hundreds of shops and warehouses were said to be affected by the inferno.
