Market Inferno: Group Commiserates With Shehu Of Borno, Traders

Team New Nigeria (TNN) has commiserated with the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai Elkanemi and traders of Maiduguri Monday Market over the recent fire disaster that destroyed goods worth billions of naira in the popular market.

Speaking at the Shehu’s Palace yesterday during the sympathy visit, the president Team New Nigeria, Dr.  Modibbo Yakubun Farakwai , said the Association is deeply saddened by the recurrent incidents of fire outbreaks in some major markets across the nation especially, in the wake of general elections, noting that in the space of two weeks, there have been major fire incidents in Maiduguri, in Borno State, followed by another fire outbreak in Lagos, Kano and Aba in Abia State and several others.

He said the TNN sends its deepest condolences to the families, friends and loved ones of all victims of the incidents and commiserates with the shop owners affected by the incidents, adding that TNN is concerned that there have been numerous reports of fire incidences, which had destroyed businesses worth billions of Naira and the consequent job losses that ensued, not to mention loss of lives and cognisant of the mandate of the Federal Fire Service ( FFS  ) to save lives and property through firefighting, rescue operations and rendering of other humanitarian services.

He added the TNN is calling on the government and relevant authorities to launch thorough investigation into the incidents to establish the exact causes of the fire outbreaks and the circumstances around the  incidents and forestall future occurrences while finding ways to help the affected victims.

“We are here today, Your Highness, to identify with Your Highness and the people of Borno State over the fire outbreak that razed several shops with goods worth billions of naira at the Maiduguri Monday Market on February 26, 2023; and to use this opportunity to congratulate Your Highness and ourselves over the emergence of your son and our beloved leader, His Excellency Senator Kashim Shettima Mustapha as the Vice President-elect of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The Kashim Shettima we know is an austere man, uncompromising, humble man, an ardent patriot and a committed democrat.

“TNN urges the Federal Government to emulate the Government of Borno State by committing more funds to the Federal Fire Service (FFS) and provide fire service stations in all the 774 local government areas in the federation in order to meet up with their current challenges in combating fire outbreaks.

“TNN also urged the FFS and other stakeholders in disaster management to intensify advocacy in the sector.

“Similarly, TNN calls on the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to conduct sensitisation campaigns to local government areas (LGAs) on the importance of setting up, funding and equipping their own emergency management agencies in order to localise disaster risk management practices in local communities.

“As a group, Team New Nigeria is made up of distinguished citizens who share the attributes of patriotism and nationalism who cannot afford to sit back and do nothing hence the coming together of men and women of character under this platform,” Dr. Farakwai said.

Responding, the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai Elkanemi, thanked them for the sympathy visit and recalled how resilient the people of Borno are, saying that not even the Boko Haram insurgency that ravaged the state could weigh the people down, talk more of the fire incident.

He thanked both the state and the federal governments for their tireless efforts which saw the liberation of the 27 local government areas of the state previously under the control of the terrorists from the grip of the insurgents.