By Ado Hassan, Sokoto
SOKOTO central market was Tuesday razed by fire with property worth millions of naira lost to the inferno that lasted hours before it was brought under control.
Reports say that the fire sparked off in the early hours from the plastic section and spread to other parts of the market.
Though, the cause of the fire was yet to be unknown even as men of the State fire service department , traders and other good Samaritans jointly battled to out the blaze.
However, the State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Mannir Dan Iya and the Director General of the Market , Maikudi Dogon Daji who visited the scene took part in coordinating efforts at putting out the fire.
Accordingly, security agencies were adequately mobilized to the scene of the inferno, to prevent hoodlums from pilfering the properties of the traders.
Similarly, The Nation reports that traders and other shop owners within and outside the market premises were seen making efforts to salvage wares and other items from the other sections where the fire was yet to torch.
It would be recalled that in 2006 , similar fire incident was experienced in the market at a time like this during harmattan .
Inferno: Tambuwal sets up investigative committee ….as Bagudu donates N30m to victims
Meanwhile, Sokoto state Governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal has appointed a high-powered committee to investigate the Tuesday Sokoto central market inferno incident with the Deputy Governor , Hon. Manir Dan Iya to head the committee.
Accordingly, the committee which is expected to make recommendations to the state government is also mandated to ascertain the remote and immediate causes of the inferno, assess the extent of the damages wrought by the incident, recommend compensation for those who lost their property; and make recommendations on how to forestall future occurrence.
Tambuwal, who aborted an official trip outside the state to visit the Gandu scene of the fire disaster, said the committee will be inaugurated soon.
Also as members of the Committee according to a release by Muhammad Bello, Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to the Governor are: the Chairman of the State House of Assembly (SOHA) Committee on Commerce, the Commissioners for Commerce; and, Lands and Housing, Hon. Bashir Gidado as well as Hon. Aminu Bala Bodinga.
The rest are; the representative of the Sultanate Council, the Director-General of the Central Market, Director-General of the state Fire Service, Alhaji Ibrahim Milgoma, the President of the state Chamber of Commerce, the respective Chairmen of the state Traders Association and the Central Market Traders, Shiekh Bello Yabo and Alhaji Namadina Abdul-Rahman.
Meanwhile , Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi state has donated N30 million to victims of the Sokoto central market inferno.
Bagudu who was the first personality that visited the caliphate to sympathise with the government , traders and people of the state on the tragedy that resulted in the loss of property worth millions of naira stressed that whatever happened to Sokoto state also affect Kebbi state.
While responding, Tambuwal, thanked his counterpart, saying the donation is a testimony of the cordial relationship and brotherhood between Sokoto and Kebbi States.
The governor said ” so far, no life has been lost as a result of the fire, Gov. Tambuwal said fire fighting vehicles belonging to both the state and the federal government as well as the Sultan Abubakar III International Airport, Sokoto were at the scene of the inferno to control the situation.
Accordingly, Tambuwal expressed appreciation to security agents in the state for their support towards controlling the situation.
He prayed to Allah to abundantly reward Gov. Bagudu and the people of his state, just as he led him and his entourage to the scene of the disaster, where Bagudu also condoled the victims.
