From Samson Alfa, Minna
No fewer than 20 shops were razed to the ground in an early morning fire that occured at one of the busiest furniture markets in Suleja, the commercial nerve centre of Niger State.
The shops located outside a mini estate, popularly known as former Foreign Affairs Quarters, in Rafinsayin area of Suleja, were engulfed in fire at about 3am on December 26, 2024. The cause is still unknown.
The ravaging inferno also consumed three flats inside the estate.
Commenting on the incident, the furniture makers association’s lawyer, Idris Abdullahi told AljazirahNigeria that “the victims are up to 20 and are mostly furniture makers who lost all their properties and equipment.
“In fact, they have lost their source of livelihood, including already made furniture and beds belonging to customers. Occupants of the three houses within the estate suffered the same damage, as all their properties including credentials among others were burnt to ashes.”
According to Abdullahi, “all efforts to put out the inferno proved abortive.”
The victims, he added “have reported the matter to B Division Police Station,” in Suleja.
The one time branch chairman, Nigerian Bar Association appealed to relevant government agencies to come to the aid of the affected business owners, saying the furniture makers, as well as others whose shops were razed are employers of labour with significant contribution to the local economy.
Besides, Chairman of the furniture makers association, Mallam Ibrahim Moshood, while fielding questions from AljazirahNigeria, “said his attention was drawn to the incident by a good samaritan.”
Moshood recalled that “unfortunately, the fire service in Suleja could not act when we reported the outbreak because the available fire fighting vehicle was not functioning. The fire fighters tried to make up for their inability to put out the fire by contacting a sister agency in Zuba, but to no avail.”
The visibly disturbed chairman said the cause of the fire has not been ascertained.
He also called on relevant government agencies, as well as public spirited individuals or organisations to assist victims of the incident.
