Wednesday 30 March 2016

Kano Fire: 15 People Hospitalised and Over N2tr Worth Of Goods Lost

About N2 trillion worth of goods were destroyed in Kano
market’s fire outbreak, the traders’ association said.
Also, Nigeria’s Disaster Management Agency, NEMA, said
over 3,800 shops were burnt in the inferno which it
described as the worst market fire disaster in Nigeria.
On his part, the Emir of Kano, Mallam Muhammadu Sanusi
ll, has called on the Federal and State Governments to
launch an investigation immediately.
Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has inaugurated a 9-
man committee to assess the level of damage and the
traders affected.
The Committee, Chaired by Alhaji Alin Bagadaza, was also
mandated to advise the government on how to resettle the
affected traders. The committee has five days to submit its
report.
Speaking to newsmen earlier, the Chairman of Sabon Gari
Market Traders’ Association, Alhaji Nafi’u Nuhu Indabo said
over 75 per cent of the market was burnt down.
He lamented that the fire started in the night when there
was nobody in the market to take preventive measures
against its spread.
During a visit to the market, NEMA Director General Alhaji
Sani Sidi, confirmed to reporters that 3,800 shops were
burnt down by the fire.
He added that 15 people were hospitalised for inhaling too
much smoke and minor injuries.
On assistance, Sidi said an assessment of the situation was
ongoing which would determine the level of help to be
rendered to the victims.
He assured the victims that help would soon come their
way.
Addressing the press after visiting the scene of the disaster,
the emir Mallam Muhammadu Sanusi ll, asked the federal
and state governments to investigate all the causes of
recent fire outbreaks in some Kano markets and schools.
The emir also called on the Kano state government to
restructure all Kano markets in order to modernise them
and make them safe.
Sanusi called on the traders to imbibe the culture of Islamic
insurance (Takaful) so as to recover their losses in case of
disasters.