The Nkwa Ngwa Market in Aba, Abia State, was on Sunday engulfed by fire which destroyed over N10 million goods in the various shops of the traders.
It was narrated that the fire started at about 7.15p.m. on Sunday; burnt the building materials and furniture sections of the market sited at Obohia Road, Aba.
National Daily gathered that eyewitnesses at the the Nkwa Ngwa Market fire in Aba, narrated that the fire was caused by a spark in a electricity generator, then, spread to the carpentry and building materials sections of the market.
Prince Okechukwu Lawrence, Chairman of Nkwo Ngwa Market, was gathered to have lamented that goods worth over N10 million were lost in the fire accident while hoodlums frustrated rescue efforts and looted shops.
The market chairman decried that hoodlums looted shops in other sections of the market not affected by the fire. He appealed to the state government to provide security in the market.
“I got information about 7.15p.m. that the market was on fire. We broke down the gates of the market for sympathisers to help us before the fire service came to the area.
“We even opened our boreholes to help provide water. But hoodlums broke into shops and looted them.
“The Aro cult boys broke into the other sections of the market, which was not affected by the fire and stole bags of rice, stock fish, clothing and other goods. The Aro cult boys have been our problem,” Lawrence had narrated.
Abia State Commissioner of Police, Chris Ezike, was said to have inspected the scene of the fire accident and the burnt section of the market. The CP had remarked that the market was “not in a good shape”, observing that it is filled with inflammable materials.
The Commissioner appealed to the traders for calm, assuring them that the Police have taken over the scene, adding that investigation is ongoing.
National Daily gathered that similar fire accident destroyed 77 shops at Kasuwar Kurmi Yan Gumama Market in Kano.