Maiduguri market fire reconstruction starts as Imam donates N100m for victims
Story from Saleh INUWA, Kano
Reconstruction of Maiduguri Monday market which was razed on Sunday by an early morning fire disaster is set to begin this week, Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum has announced.
Zulum made this known on Monday when he received a group of prominent Borno citizens living in Abuja.
The citizens who came to Maiduguri were led by Ambassador Babagana Kingibe on a sympathy visit to the government and people of Borno State.
Maiduguri Monday market, established about 40 years ago, was said to be the largest in the northeast sub-region, bringing together thousands of buyers and sellers.
“We are constituting a committee that will coordinate all matters relating to the Monday market inferno. Most importantly, the committee will look into the possibility of rehabilitating the stalls at the market. Insha Allah, the work will commence soon.
“While we are waiting for support from the federal government, Borno State government will not completely fold its arms waiting, we have to start somewhere”, Zulum said and announced a donation of 1 billion Naira on behalf of Borno State government.
Governor Zulum expressed gratitude to the delegation which comprised the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kolo Kyari, Chairman of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Mutawali Kashim Ibrahim Imam among other Borno indigenes.
Speaking earlier, leader of the delegation, elder statesman, Ambassador Babagana Kingibe, commiserated with victims of the fire disaster.
He also commended the steps taken by Governor Babagana Umara Zulum towards cushioning the hardship faced by the affected traders.
“We appreciate the quick reaction of Your Excellency (Governor Zulum). We understand that you were out of town when the incident happened but on arrival, you went direct to the scene of the incident. You made a very inspiring broadcast and you immediately set up a committee to assess the tragedy and approved one billion Naira”, Amb. Kingibe said.
“Your Excellency, myself and Alhaji Kashim Imam left Maiduguri just yesterday, we have planned for quite a number of us, sons and daughters of Borno to come in a delegation to commiserate with the people of Borno through Your Excellency over this tragic incident that overtook Maiduguri market three days ago.
“The livelihood in Maiduguri revolves around the Monday market and indeed the other markets. Monday market, Maiduguri, is not just any old market, it is an old and historic market. We grief deeply over this tragic event”, he added.
In continuation of offering support, the Chairman of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Alhaji Kashim Imam, on Monday announced a personal donation of N100 million to support victims of the Maiduguri market disaster.
Imam, a frontline politician was in Kingibe’s delegation and he spoke after Kingibe.
“The leader of the delegation, Ambassador Babagana Kingibe has spoken on behalf of all of us, I also wish to join in commiserating with all those that were badly affected by this very sad incident. I also want to say that we share in their pains. I want to appeal to all indigenes of Borno, especially those that are in a position to assist the victims to immediately come to the aid. I wish to end my very brief comment by committing the sum of N100m”, Imam declared.
Similarly, vice president elect Kashim Shettima has earlier announced his personal donation of 100 million Naira.
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