On Thursday, the Borno government approved N1 billion for the reconstruction of the Maiduguri Monday Market, which was destroyed on Monday.
“I have also approved N1 billion for immediate disbursement to the victims for the upkeep of their families,” Governor Babagana Zulum said in Maiduguri while launching a committee to investigate the fire.
Usman Jidda-Shuwa, the secretary to the state government, represented the Governor.
“As a responsible and responsive government, we cannot fold our hands and let the situation be as it is.” But we must rise to our responsibilities and do the needful to salvage the situation for the betterment of our people,” stated Mr. Zulum.
“I’d been making frantic efforts in providing palliative care to boost their resilience. In this connection, I made some commitments, which include the constitution of this high-powered committee.”
Mr. Zulum said the committee would appraise and determine the immediate and remote causes of the fire and the factors responsible for its wild, uncontrollable nature.
“They will also meticulously assess and ascertain whether or not there are specific individuals who may be directly or indirectly responsible for the incident and apportion blame appropriately,” the Borno Governor stressed.
“Thoroughly examine the magnitude of the fire and the extent of the damage caused to physical structures, assess and determine the type of and amount of relief assistance to the affected victims.”
He added that the committee would compile and determine the number of persons who suffered losses and the amount of property each trader lost to the fire disaster.
The Governor stated that the committee would look into the original design of the market to see what changes were made to accommodate more traders and how this contributed to the fire’s uncontrollable nature.
It would also assess the extent to which commercial activities have been disrupted and recommend a suitable location for the construction of a new market.
The Governor directed the committee to reconstruct and rehabilitate damaged structures in the market while the investigation continued.
