Abuja: Traders and residents of the Kugbo Furniture Market have sought urgent government assistance after a fire destroyed more than 15 shops and some adjoining residential buildings.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the fire reportedly started at about 9 a.m. on Sunday, sweeping through a section of the market behind Kugbo Local Government Area (LEA) Primary School.
Mr. Mike Omo-youzou, the Coordinator and Chairman of the affected traders, stated that the fire gutted furniture workshops stocked with goods and equipment worth millions of naira. He explained that the fire started on Sunday morning when people were in church, and a delayed response from the fire service exacerbated the situation. Omo-youzou dismissed electrical faults as the cause of the fire, suggesting instead that it might have started from cooking activities by some youths sleeping in one of the shops. He emphasized the presence of highly flammable materials, including foam, varnish, and wood, which worsened the spread.
The chairman, who was also affected, reported that his goods worth N5.2 million were destroyed, while other traders lost materials valued at N8.2 million. Machines and other equipment worth millions were also lost. He appealed to relevant authorities for help, lamenting the absence of any government agency at the site and the lack of response to their plight.
Marvelous Okezie, the Women Leader of Kugbo, also appealed to the government for assistance to help traders rebuild their businesses. She highlighted the financial losses and the delayed response of the fire service. Okezie called for training of residents on handling rescue equipment at the Kugbo fire station.
Mr. Andrew Ayue, a resident and community media reporter, noted that the fire started in a workshop near a residential duplex and affected nearby houses. He mentioned that the proximity of workshops to residential buildings contributed to the destruction and cited recurring incidents linked to conversion of residential plots to makeshift workshops.
Sunday Ejekam, the Chief of Igbos in Kugbo, recounted that although no lives were lost, properties worth millions were destroyed. He attributed the incident to alleged carelessness by youths living in makeshift structures and urged authorities to halt the construction of such structures.
Williams Ayaruja, Chairman of the Landlords Association, blamed weak enforcement of development control regulations for the damage. He stressed the importance of adhering to approved layouts and noted that inadequate spacing between buildings worsened the fire’s impact.
Long-time resident Okafor Izuchukwu expressed concern over recurring fire incidents and security risks posed by shanties in the area.