Fire guts Maiduguri market , destroys goods worth millions

A section of Gamboru market in Maiduguri was on
Sunday gutted by fire which destroyed about 50 shops
and goods worth millions of Naira .
Some traders in the market told NAN in Maiduguri that the
fire started at about 3 : 00 a . m. when there was nobody in
the market .
Malam Mohammed Ibrahim, a leader in the market said
that he noticed thick smoke at the market during the early
morning prayers around 5 . 00 a . m.
“ We were at the mosque praying when we saw thick
smoke coming out from the market .
“ But we could not get to the market immediately due to
the prevailing curfew in the state , ” he said .
He added that when the traders eventually got to the
market in the morning , they discovered that the fire had
destroyed several shops and goods worth millions of
Naira .
“ Nobody can say specifically the source of the fire , but
some traders leaving closed by said it started around
3 : 00 a . m. , ” Ibrahim said.
Another trader, Malam Usman Kachalla , appealed to the
state government to come to the assistance of the
government by rebuilding their shops .
A NAN correspondent , who visited the market on Sunday
reports that many traders were seen salvaging the
remains of their wares , while others stood by and
lamented the situation .
The market was gutted by fire in 2009 and 2011 .