Traders at the Makurdi Modern market have continued to count their loses after a raging inferno consumed 200 shops at a section of the market destroying goods worth millions of naira.
Benue state Governor, Samuel Ortom, has however paid a sympathy visit to the victims to assess the level of damage done at the market by the fire the cause of which was still unknown.
A trader who was too emotional to mention her name said amidst tears that she was called to rush to the market at about 8 pm after the fire had started. She stated that before she arrived the scene, the fire had already spread.
“The fire, the crowd was too much and I could not even get access to my shop to save anything. I lost everything. Where do I go from here,” she sobbed.
When Governor Ortom visited the market on Wednesday, the Secretary of the Board of Trustees of the market, Mr. Emeka Ofoegbu said the inferno started at about 7 pm on Tuesday and consumed two blocks housing 200 shops and destroyed goods and property worth millions of naira.
“Some of us left the market around 6:30 pm. I was in church when someone called that the market was on fire. We rushed back to see how we could put out the fire with the help of fire service, but they said there was no water. Eventually, fire service came through the village market.”
He expressed sadness that none of the security men at the market was aware of how and when the fire started.
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The Ter Makurdi, Sule Abenga described the fire incident as a set back to the entire state and her economy saying the market had always served the needs of the entire state.
He appealed to the government to ensure free access to all parts of the market for prompt response to such occurrences by fire service workers just as he called on the federal government to assist the state government and the traders rebuild the market.
During the visit, Gov. Ortom described the incident as unfortunate and prayed God to open other opportunities for them.
He however, thanked God that no life was lost, even as he reprimanded some restive youths who used the unfortunate incident to loot, urging them to repent or reap in full measures what they had sown.
The Governor who recalled recent fire disaster at Gboko and Wadata Markets said it was one fire too many, especially as the Modern Market fire was occurring for the fourth time.
He made a donation of N50 million to the direct victims of the inferno to cushion the effect saying a Commission of Inquiry would be constituted to unravel the cause of frequent fire incidents at the market with a view to finding ways of reconstructing and safeguarding the market from fire outbreaks.
He commended security agencies and men of the fire service for their prompt responses which curtailed the extent of damage and looting, adding that the board of trustees should meet with relevant government agencies to resolve issues regarding the suspension of union activities with a view to lifting the suspension.
