Yam sellers at the famous Wukari Yam Market in Wukari Local Government Area (LGA), Taraba State, are counting their losses after the market was razed by fire destroying over N200 million worth of yam tubers in the early hours of Saturday.
Confirming the incident, Mr Adi Grace, Chairman of the local government told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said several barns of yams in the largest yam market were affected.
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“We cannot ascertain the cause of the disaster at the moment, but a committee has been set up to identify the cause so that measures will be taken to forestall future occurrence,” he said.
Similarly, the Chairman of the Yam Market Association, Mr Anthony Agbu, who conducted reporters round the market, said that the fire was noticed at about 200a.m on Saturday.
Agbu said that tubers of yams along side other valuables such as motorcycles were destroyed.
This incident according to the chairman will have negative impact on the traders.
He therefore called on the state government and other well-meaning Nigerians to urgently come to their aide as some of the traders fainted on hearing the news of the incident.
Some of the affected traders who managed to speak to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the scene of the incident said the damage had eclipsed their investment.
Mr Emmanuel Gani, a trader at the affected market, said: “I am passionately calling on governments at all levels to come to our aid.”
Mrs Margaret Adashu, a trader, also lamented that all her earnings have gone down the drain overnight.
