Hussaini Kafi in Kano
A devastating fire outbreak at the popular mobile phone market in Kano has led to the loss of property worth billions of naira.
The chairman of the market, Ambassador Jamilu Bala Gama, told the PUNCH that the fire lasted for about six to seven hours.
He added that the inferno affected over 300 shops in the market, with the worst-hit area being where mobile phones and phone repair accessories are sold.
“There was a huge loss of property and assets. In a single shop, you could find items worth N500 million, and in some cases, up to N1 billion — all completely burnt,” he said.
The market chairman estimated the total loss from the fire to be close to N100 billion.
As of now, the cause of the fire remains unknown, according to his explanation.
Fire outbreaks have long caused severe losses to traders in Nigeria, something experts often link to lack of proper planning in some instances.
