A fire incident early on Tuesday has destroyed approximately 50 shops at the popular Bayan Tasha market in Damaturu, the capital of Yobe State.
According to an eyewitness, the fire began around 2:00 am when electricity was restored in the area, at a time when most shop owners had already closed for the night. Fortunately, the quick response from both federal and state fire services helped contain the blaze and prevent further damage.
While no lives were lost in the fire, the state emergency management agency has already deployed a team to assess the extent of the destruction, and the number of shops affected. This fire comes exactly one year after a similar incident devastated shops at the same market in 2023.
The incident in Damaturu is part of a troubling trend of fire outbreaks at markets across Nigeria. In another recent event, a midnight fire at the “Oja agbe” farmers’ market in Moniya, Akinyele Local Government Area of Oyo State, destroyed properties worth millions of naira, including several shops, containers, and kiosks.
Similarly, an early morning fire engulfed the only market in Trademore Estate, Lugbe, Abuja, on Monday. The fire reportedly started around 3:30 am, shortly after electricity was restored by the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC).
