News Editor
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Properties estimated at N5bn destroyed
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Widow, others cry out
By David Odama
The popular masaka market in Karu local government area of Nasarawa State has been reportedly razed by fire.
The fire incident is said to have started from the pantaker section of the market started at about 11pm spreading to several shops without help coming the way of the shop owners.
TMSnews learnt that the main section of the market housing more than 9, 000 lock up and open shops were affected while over N5billion worth of properties are also said to be lost to the inferno.
It was gathered that men of the fire service who were contacted at about 11pm when the fire stated could no be seen untill about 2.30am.
Speaking to our correspondent on the incident, a widow and a mother of three, Mrs Christiana Ekunke said she was contacted few minutes past 11pm over the inferno and that she rushed to the market to watch her shop burnt helplessly.
“I was contacted by a colleague in the market that our shops were on fire and I rushed there at that time of the night only to stand and watch my shop burning helplessly. My life is fished. How do I care for the three children my husband left behind for. more than four years ago.
“What do I fall back no now that my only source of survival has been consumed. My dear brother I do not know how I can even feed these children not to talk about their education”, the widow lamented
“Please help me and others Appeal to the state government, local council and other spirited individuals to urgently come to our aids to enable us have something to cater for our family especially people like me who has no husband and relations to run to”, Mrs Ekunke cries out.
Reacting in a telephone interview, Chairman, Lockup shops Association, Uzuma Ogbonna lamented that affected traders in the market have loss over N5billion naria to the inferno.
According to Ogbonna, over 6, 000 shops have been consumed even as other shops not affected we’re vandalized and properties looted by hoodlums who took advantage of the incident as well as absence of security in the market.
Ogbonna who decried the neglect of the market by the government, late response by the men of the fire service three hours after, called for urgent respite from the the state government to enable the traders returned to the market.
He equally appealed to the state government to allow the traders rebuild their shops hence the unwillingness of the government to provide essential facilities at the market to forestall the frequent happenings in the market.
Meanwhile, Governor Abdullahi Sule who returned from his vacation in US yesterday has expressed sympathy over the fire incident.
The governor who visited the market on his way to Lafia from Abuja Saturday morning in a telephone interview with the Senior Special Assistance on public Affairs, Peter Ahemba promised to take stock of the extent of damage in the market with a view to assist the affected traders in the maska market.
According to Comrade Ahemba, governor Sule has urged traders in all market to take precautionary measures to forestall fire disaster in the state
“Governor Sule has in his commitment to the plight of the residents of the state promised to do all to ensure that the affected persons in the market are assisted”, the SSA state.
