…The fire, which broke out in the early hours, razed vast amounts of merchandise,
SOKOTO, NIGERIA- The iNews Times | A devastating fire on Sunday swept through the Popular Sokoto Old Market, destroying more than 30 shops and leaving scores of traders grappling with significant losses in an incident that has deeply affected the city’s commercial community.
Among the hardest hit was the Group Three Marketing Shop, an upstairs complex hosting several businesses, which was entirely consumed by the flames, along with numerous adjoining stalls.
The inferno, which broke out in the early hours, razed vast amounts of merchandise, including bags of rice, cartons of cooking oil, seasonings, and other essential food items valued at millions of naira. The exact cause remains under investigation, though some traders attributed the disaster to persistent power outages and electrical surges, a recurring risk in the market.
Eyewitnesses recounted scenes of chaos as shop owners desperately tried to salvage whatever goods they could before the fire fully engulfed their stores.
“It was like seeing years of hard work disappear in minutes,” said trader Malam Sani Zamau. “Many of us had just restocked for the week.”
The Sokoto State Fire Service eventually brought the fire under control after several hours of intense efforts, preventing it from spreading further. No casualties were reported, but the emotional and financial toll on traders was palpable, with many sitting amidst the charred remains of their shops, uncertain about how to recover.
Affected traders have appealed to the government and well-meaning individuals for urgent support, calling for enhanced fire safety measures, a stable power supply, and assistance to rebuild their livelihoods.
The incident highlights the vulnerability of markets across Nigeria to fire outbreaks and emphasizes the need for proactive infrastructure and preventive measures to protect small-scale traders, who are critical to local economies.
This latest blaze comes shortly after the Sokoto State Government initiated the reconstruction of the central Sokoto Market, which was previously gutted by fire in 2021 in a project reported to cost billions of naira.
