A devastating fire at the Singer Market in Kano has destroyed goods and property worth billions of naira and left seven people unaccounted for, causing widespread loss and distress among traders and residents.
The blaze, one of the most destructive in recent memory at the busy marketplace, erupted on Sunday, tearing through buildings and stalls and crippling the economic lifelines of hundreds of families.
Market Chairman Alhaji Junaid Zakari described the incident as among the worst in the market’s history.
He said the fire obliterated four residential and commercial buildings that housed small-scale businesses, reducing vast amounts of stock, equipment and other valuables to ashes.
Emergency responders and security teams continue searching for the seven people declared missing as investigations into their whereabouts and the cause of the fire remain ongoing.
Eyewitness accounts from traders highlighted staggering losses. One shop owner, Isa Abubakar, reported his goods, valued at over ₦200 million, were destroyed, while another trader, Musa Ibrahim, said he lost items worth more than ₦340 million in the inferno.
As charred remains of shops smoldered, many traders stood stunned, trying to salvage whatever they could from the ruins.
Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf personally visited the scene as the fire still raged and urged calm among affected residents.
His visit drew praise from market leaders, who said the governor’s early response demonstrated solidarity with devastated traders.
The governor has also called on the federal government to provide modern firefighting equipment and additional support to improve emergency responses to such disasters in the future.
Authorities have yet to determine the origin of the blaze, and efforts by the fire service to establish a definitive cause are ongoing.
Traders have appealed for urgent assistance to help them rebuild their businesses, as the scale of the destruction threatens livelihoods across the community.
With many still searching for missing relatives or colleagues, the tragedy underscores the vulnerability of Nigeria’s bustling commercial markets to such sudden disasters.
