Abuja market fire: Traders count losses

Traders at the popular Wuse market, which was burnt after a hawker was allegedly shot dead by a security operative Tuesday afternoon said goods worth millions of naira were destroyed.

 Our reporter, who was at the market yesterday afternoon, observed that the market was tense, as it had been shut down till further notice.

Few shop owners seen at the market wondered why the FCT minister had not visited the market since the incident.

The affected shops, numbering ten, are located on the first line from the main gate of the market.

Foreign bed sheets, clothing materials, travelling boxes, and gold were all destroyed.

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At least eight vehicles were reportedly burnt during the incident.

While some are pointing accusing fingers at the angry mob, shop owners blamed the fire that razed their shops on police teargas.

Trouble started when the hawker, whom the police identified as 27-year-old Ibrahim Yahaya, was shot after he was arrested by some “task force officers” and the police.

Shop owners, who said they witnessed the incident, said the hawker was trying to escape from custody when he was shot.

The killing was said to have triggered angry reactions from some youths in the market.

The mob made their way to the police station in the market, destroying windows and setting some cars in the surrounding area on fire.

The office of the Abuja Markets Management Limited (AMML) inside the market as well as about eight cars were burnt down in the incident that went wild around 3.30 pm.

One of the traders, Oga Godddy, whose shop was razed, said he lost $7,000 and goods worth millions of naira.

Nnamani said: “I am giving God the glory that life is not lost. Goods worth millions of naira lost. I can’t even estimate. My brothers’ shops were badly affected. They sell foreign bed sheets and bags.’’

Another victim, Mrs Blessing Okafor, who also deals in foreign materials, simply said: “As you can see, I lost goods worth over N100million. I’m not in the mood to speak.”

All efforts to speak with the management of the market proved abortive as they were said not to be available.

Meanwhile, the police have arrested the correctional officer identified as Usman Ishaya Magaji (CA2) who allegedly shot the hawker.

The spokeswoman of the FCT police command, SP Adeh Josephine, confirmed the arrest in a telephone chat with our reporter on Wednesday.

She said the suspect is currently in police custody as an investigation is ongoing.