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B N W: Biafra Nigeria World News |
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Fire guts Tejuoso market, destroys N100 million goods kazeem ugbodaga
GOODS worth over N100 million were yesterday destroyed when the popular Tejuoso market at Yaba, Lagos was gutted by fire. However, the traders and local government officials believe that the fire was an act of sabotage. During an on-the-spot assessment of the devastated market, the state Governor, Chief Bola Tinubu, said the state would re-plan and rebuild the market into a modern three-storey complex to further improve economic activities. The inferno, which started around 3 a.m., yesterday razed the extended wing of the market where assorted goods such as shoes and clothes, among others, were sold. The whole place was in a shambles, while the traders were seen lamenting their loss when the DAILY TIMES visited the scene. Officials of the Federal Fire Service and the Lagos State Fire Service fought frantically to put out the fire, but they could not do much because of the compact nature of the shops. By the time the fire was put out, the extended wing of the market had been razed. Speaking with the DAILY TIMES, chairman of Tejuoso Market Traders Association (TMT), Mr. Chukwuka Osuji said he suspected sabotage, he called on the state government to allow the traders to rebuild the market and move in for business transactions again. Chairman, Itire-Ikate Local Government, Mr. Kayode Oseni, described the incident as very sad and sympathised with the traders over their loss. Saying he suspected sabotage from his political opponents in the state, he said the extent of damage could not have been much if the market was not overcrowded.. However, Tinubu, who also lamented the colossal loss of property, said the state would re-plan and rebuild the market, adding that the fire could have been quenched, if the market was well-planned. Tinubu warned the traders to desist from rebuilding the market, saying if they did, he would pull it down. He said the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development would immediately go back to the drawing board to re-plan the market. The governor allayed the fear of hike in rent after the rebuilding, adding that there would be no increase, while the traders would retain their shops. "We will re-plan it to make it easy for you to be able to trade. If you start illegal construction, take my words for that, I will pull it down", he said and instructed the police and fire service investigators to probe the immediate cause of the fire. |
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