- By Halimah Olamide
Again fire has gutted the Gamboru market around the Custom area in Maiduguri, the Borno capital.
It is imperative to note that that on March 18,2023 and Nov. 13,2023 fire gutted the market, making it the third time the market will be going up in flames.
Confirming the incident, the Borno Commissioner for Information and Internal Security , Alhaji Usman Tar, said the fire broke out at the Layin Yan Katako and outer sections of the market.
Tar in a statement said the incident which occurred on Wednesday at about 10pm, was effectively extinguished by men of the fire service.
“The Borno State Fire Service immediately dispatched a team of firefighters to site and the fire was effectively extinguished.
“No human casualty reported. The security of the market was not at risk of trespass or vandalisation,”he said.
According to him, the fire service and the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) are conducting on-the-spot assessment of the incident to determine the root causes and steps to avoid future occurrence.
The commissioner said that the state government would take all steps to overcome fire disasters in the state.
He advised members of the public to maintain law and order and ensure the safety of the market is not breached.
“On behalf of the Borno State Government, we commiserate with all who are affected by this incident.
“We also thank the first responders for their speed of action which prevented the fire from spreading across the market space,”he said.
The Gamboru market is the biggest perishable goods market in Maiduguri.