By Jennifer Y Omiloli
On Thursday night, dozens of shops and property worth millions of Naira have been destroyed as fire razes on the GSM market in Maiduguri.
According to the Nigeria News Agency (NAN), the fire started at approximately 8:00 p.m. and lasted several hours before it was extinguished by fire service staff, security personnel and community members.
The popularly named “Kasuwar Jagol” market is located in the metropolis ‘ Post Office district, providing business space for thousands of local traders and craftsmen.
Mr Ambursa Pindar, Borno Fire Service’s Public Relations Officer (PRO) who confirmed the incident, said five fire-fighting vehicles were dispatched to the scene by the service.
Pindar said the service will assess the extent of the damage.
Mr Abdulrahman Tahir, an eye witness, said the fire started from one of the shops and engulfed other market shops.
Tahir, a cell phone vendor, lamented the loss of their products to the fire by a number of traders.
He said, however, that by the rapid response of the fire service men and security personnel who put out the fire, he successfully retrieved his goods.
Armed security personnel have been deployed to the market to prevent hoodlums from looting.
