By Gabriella Ogbu
In yet another tragic incident, Gamboru Market, located near the Customs area in Maiduguri, Borno State, has been engulfed by fire. This marks the third devastating fire to hit the market, following previous incidents on November 13, 2023, and March 18, 2023, which completely razed Maiduguri’s largest perishable products market.
Alhaji Usman Tar, the Commissioner for Information and Internal Security for Borno State, confirmed the occurrence, stating that the fire originated in the Layin Yan Katako and outer areas of the market. Thankfully, prompt action from firefighters prevented further escalation, and the blaze was extinguished after it broke out around 10 p.m. on Wednesday.
Commissioner Tar assured that there were no human casualties reported, and security measures at the market remained intact, ruling out any suspicion of vandalism or trespassing.
To address the recurring tragedies, the State Emergency Management Agency and the fire department are conducting immediate assessments to determine the root causes and implement preventive measures. The state government is committed to preventing future fire disasters and ensuring the safety and security of the market.
In light of the incident, Commissioner Tar urged the public to maintain law and order and cooperate with authorities to uphold market safety standards.
