Tragedy struck in Maiduguri in the early hours of Sunday morning when fire razed a large section of the popular Monday Market, the largest market in Borno state.
The cause of the fire was not immediately known, but eyewitnesses told Blueprint that it started around 2:30am.
Musa Sulaiman had two shops of home decoration items such as rugs and suitcases said “The two shops were all razed down, and I lost everything.”
He estimated the cost of his losses at not less than N50 million.
Governor Babagana Umara Zulum, who went around the market, Sunday morning, announced a N1 billion relief for the victims, promising to see President Muhammadu Buhari for more relief as he urged humanitarian organisations to send more relief the victims.
This is the third time over the last 20 years that fire would raze down Maiduguri’s Monday market.
Meanwhile, the Borno state deputy governor, Umar Usman Kadafur, has described the early Sunday morning fire that razed the market as unfortunate.
The deputy governor in a statement issued by his director of press, Bulama Talba, said he was deeply saddened to learn of the fire incident that destroyed the entire market where property worth billions of naira were destroyed.
Umar Usman Kadafur urged the victims to consider the incident as an act of God and always remember that only God that gives wealth and takes away at his own will.
“My heart goes out to you, your family, and all those who lost their properties in this tragedy and I pray for Almighty God to return back to you more than what you have lost within a short period.
“May God Almighty prevent future occurrence of such a great tragedy and bring peace progress and development to our dear state,” the statement said.
