Fourteen shops and goods worth about N40 million were destroyed in a Monday morning fire that gutted Kuje market in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Mohammed Baba, the Vice Chairman, Kuje Area Council, who visited the scene, told newsmen that he was shocked when the news of the incident reached him.
Baba expressed concern that the market was recording the second fire incident within one month.
He said: “It is very unfortunate that we are witnessing another fire incident for the second time in less than 20 days in the market.
“We thank God that no life was lost in the fire.
“Fire outbreak is not a thing anybody wishes to happen for the second time and the Area Council sympathises with the affected traders.”
The vice chairman appealed to the affected traders to remain calm, saying that the council would take appropriate measures to compensate them.
Baba said: “It is sad news because goods worth millions of naira were lost to the fire.
“I appeal to the affected traders not to worry as the Area Council will compensate them.”
The vice chairman said plans were underway to tackle cases of illegal electrical connections in the market, which allegedly caused the fire.
He said the council would convene a meeting between the management of the market and officials of Electricity Distribution Company in the area to constitute a committee to look into cases of illegal electricity connection in the market.
The Chairman, Kuje Traders Association, Alhaji Yunusa Isa, who also sympathised with the affected traders, attributed the cause of the fire to illegal electrical connection.
Isa said that goods worth more than N40 million were lost in the fire.
He said: “What we want the area council to do for us is to disconnect all electrical connection in the market and standardise the connection.
“We all need electricity in the market, but there should be due process in the connection of electricity.
“I sympathise with the affected traders because it is not easy to lose goods worth millions of naira.”
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