The Chairman of Singer Market, Barrister Junaidu Muhammad Zakari, has said that the market lost over N10 billion worth of goods and properties in a series of fires.

That was as the President of the Kano Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (KCCIMA), Ambassador Hamza Drama, said that the effect of the fire on the Market was so devastating that it would take years for the victims who suffered losses to recover.

Sunday Telegraph reports that residents of the Centre of Commerce woke up to the news of the largest commodity market in Africa, engulfed in early morning fire last Sunday, the second since the beginning of the year. The fire incident reportedly started at a large warehouse located within the MAZAF complex, at the heart of the Market, destroying two of the biggest warehouses and properties worth billions of Naira.

Similarly, reports have it that due to the intensity of the blaze, a nearby two storey building was also engulfed and eventually collapsed, burning to ashes everything in the building. Barrister Junaidu, in an interview with the Sunday Telegraph, said the affected buildings in the two separate fire incidents were heavily stocked with various goods, including cartons of biscuits, milk products, detergent, and smoked fish, leading to significant losses for the traders.

Although the exact causes of the two fire incidents remain unknown, a trailer driver disclosed that at about 3:00 a.m., while offloading goods, they noticed light smoke coming from the MAZAF warehouse. They immediately moved their vehicle away, after which the fire intensified.

Firefighting teams from the State and Federal Fire Services, as well as the fire unit of Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, responded promptly and made significant efforts to contain the blazes, but to no avail until goods worth billions of Naira were burnt to ashes.

Barrister Junaidu confirmed that many of the traders, though operating billions of Naira essential commodities businesses, don’t have Insurance cover. This, according to him, was due to the stringent measures of the Insurance Companies before insuring a trader’s goods.

He said: “We don’t have Insurance on our goods. This is because of the stringent measures given by the Insurance Companies. I, as Chairman, I tried to pacify members to take Insurance cover, but to no avail. As I said, some of us truly have insured our businesses.”

On whether government is contemplating payment of compensation, the Chairman, Barrister Zakari, hinted that they have held several meetings with Governor Abba Yusuf, and he was among the first to respond by visiting the place and even donating N100 million to mitigate the losses.

Similarly, he said the Federal Government delegations were at the Market, and they gave them together with the APC Governor’s N8 billion to support them, adding that Senator Barau Jibrin also donated N100 million to them.

On how they will get out of the negative impact of the fire, the Chairman said that they have, in collaboration with the State Government, taken strong measures of expanding roads networks in the Market to allow for smooth passage and movement of goods, as well as ensure the safety of their businesses.

He said: “We have created a new idea of ensuring that every Warehouse has enough Fire extinguishers as well as every shop owner, to stop the negative use of power implements that might lead to a fire outbreak in the Market.

Meanwhile, President of the State Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, Ambassador Hamza Drama, told the Sunday Telegraph, that the effect of the fire on the Market was so devastating that it would take years to recover from.