A fire outbreak that occurred on Monday morning at Katsina Central Market has destroyed several goods and property belonging to local traders.
Officials said the fire incident destroyed over 100 shops belonging to local traders in the market.
Katsina State police public relations officer Isah Gambo confirmed the incident to The ICIR during a telephone interview, stating that the fire outbreak started around 8 am before spreading to other parts of the market around 12 noon.
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“Yes, there was a fire incident, but it has now been put out by officials of the fire service,” Gambo said.
When asked if there was any loss of life, Gambo said no lives were lost and none of the residents sustained any physical injury, but goods worth millions of naira were destroyed.
Fire incidents are rampant in Katsina State as there have been past records of incidents that claimed lives and left properties destroyed.
In 2020, Katsina State Information commissioner AbdulKarim Sirika said there had been about 906 reports of fire incidents in the state throughout the year.
Sirika said this during a media briefing in Katsina, stating that 50 persons had lost their lives in various fire outbreaks in the state in 2020.
Meanwhile, a fire outbreak was also recorded in Zamfara State on Saturday night, according to state officials. During the incident, about 60 shops and goods belonging to traders were recorded to have been destroyed.
In 2021, there have been several reports of fire incidents in major markets across different states in Nigeria.
This photo of road being destroyed is from South Africa and not related to #EndSARS protest
In January, there was a fire outbreak that destroyed about 9,600 shops at the Shehu Shagari Modern Market popularly called New Market in Sokoto, Sokoto State.
Also in Abuja, a fire incident razed shops and valuables at the Kugbo Furniture Market, Asokoro Extension. Fire incidents have also been recorded in markets in Anambra, Lagos states¸among others.
Lukman Abolade is an Investigative reporter with The ICIR. Reach out to him via [email protected], on twitter @AboladeLAA and FB @Correction94