READ MORE: http://news.naij.com/63156.htmlChairman of the market’s union, Prince Edozie Ugwu, said his secretary phoned him on Thursday morning to intimate him of the incident. He said 20 shops in Block 6 of the informal section of the market which accomodates mostly foodstuff and frozen items were consumed by the fire.
Ugwu, who could not immediately ascertain the exact cost of goods damaged, alleged that officials of Abuja Market Management Limited (AMML) have been issuing demolition threats to them, which the traders resisted. “They started the threat since last year but because of a court action we instituted against them, they couldn’t do anything,” he added.
One of the victims, Emeka Aghuta, claimed he lost goods worth N1.2 million in the inferno. He attributed the cause of the fire to substandard cables used by officials of AMML, while wiring the market.
The worst hit among the affected traders is one Francis Nwobodo who claimed to have lost over N5 million worth of goods as he just stocked his shops with new goods before the incident.
A housewife, Mrs. Josephine Nwafor, said all her goods worth N1.5 million were burnt to ashes.
When contacted, spokesman of Abuja Market Management Limited (AMML), Innocent Amaechina, said the fire started at about 10.30 pm on Wednesday following an electrical spark from one of the refrigerators in the market. He said about six of their security personnel who were on duty helped to fight the fire before the arrival of men of the FCT fire service who came in to rescue the situation.
According to him, AMML did not issue any notice of demolition to the market as alleged and wondered why the traders linked the fire incident which is a natural disaster to an alleged threat of demolition.
He said AMML has warned traders against illegal electrical connections as well as attachments to shops in the market but they would not heed to such warnings. He equally said that AMML is not aware of any court order, adding that they are only doing their jobs as managers in charge of Abuja markets.
A housewife, Mrs. Josephine Nwafor, said all her goods worth N1.5 million were burnt to ashes.
When contacted, spokesman of Abuja Market Management Limited (AMML), Innocent Amaechina, said the fire started at about 10.30 pm on Wednesday following an electrical spark from one of the refrigerators in the market. He said about six of their security personnel who were on duty helped to fight the fire before the arrival of men of the FCT fire service who came in to rescue the situation.
According to him, AMML did not issue any notice of demolition to the market as alleged and wondered why the traders linked the fire incident which is a natural disaster to an alleged threat of demolition.
He said AMML has warned traders against illegal electrical connections as well as attachments to shops in the market but they would not heed to such warnings. He equally said that AMML is not aware of any court order, adding that they are only doing their jobs as managers in charge of Abuja markets.
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