By: Hamza Suleiman
Fire fighters have continued to struggle to contain the fire that engulfed Maiduguri Monday Market, which started at about 1a.m on Sunday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that as at 10:30 a.m, only three fire trucks were on hand to battle the inferno which had consumed most of the market.
Some angry traders who started vandalising public property in protest against the slow response of fire fighters were however pacified by Gov. Babagana Zulum and security agents.
The protesting traders had vandalised many vehicles, attacked and injured people, including a female journalist working with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA).
NAN reports that some of the affected structures consumed by the fire included essential commodities shops, boutiques, poultry and second hand materials shops, among others.
Hundreds of the affected traders were seen struggling and collecting what remained of their property in the rubble, while some were watching helplessly as the fire continued to ravage more structures.
Ibrahim Babagana, one of the traders told NAN that the fire gutted the market from different angles, resulting to the destruction of many shops.
“This is my shop, I lost everything,” he said, pointing to his smouldering goods.
Bukar Goni, another trader who deals in fabrics, said he did not salvage anything in his two shops.
“I lost goods with over N150 million to the fire,” he added.
The Commisioner of Police, Abdu Umar, said security agents had been deployed to prevent looting by hoodlums who may want to take advantage of the situation. (NAN)
