How mysterious fire destroyed Borno markets within 2 months
In less than two months, the most popular and central markets in Borno State were razed down by mysterious fire disasters.
The fire incidents occurred concurrently during the presidential and governorship elections in February and March 2023.
At 7 am on Sunday, 26 February 2023, a mysterious fire burnt several shops and destroyed goods worth millions of naira at the Maiduguri Monday Market (MMM).
However, sources revealed that no casualty was recorded as firefighters battled to put off the fire which source is still a mystery.
Neptune Prime learnt that hundreds of shops were razed down during the inferno that occurred at night when the market was closed at the end of business hours.
Men of the Borno State and Federal Fire Service doubled their efforts to put off the fire as traders and sympathisers thronged the scene offering a helping hand.
Less than a month after the Monday Market fire incident, another inferno guts the Gamboru Market, the second largest market in the state and the biggest perishable goods market in Maiduguri.
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The fire incident at Gamboru market around the Custom area in Maiduguri, happened on 18th March 2023, when people were out voting during the governorship and state house of assembly elections.
Similarly, the remote cause of the fire remains unknown as goods worth millions were said to have been destroyed.
When the news of the fire spread, traders abandoned their polling units and rushed to the burning market to salvage goods available.
A day after the governorship election in the state, another fire outbreak occurred at Ngomari Airport Bus stop in Maiduguri, where 3 shops were razed down on 19 March 2023.
An eyewitness reported that the fire started around 2 am but wasn’t noticed till 3 am.
The eyewitness said residents immediately alerted the fire service but were told there is no fuel for them to come to the rescue.
The eyewitness alleged that a friend who worked at the Airport sent the Airport Fire Service to their rescue.
The incident also recorded lost of shops worth millions, including food items, clothing, and many more.