Fire Disaster: Shettima Leads FG Delegation To Kano Today

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed Vice President Kashim Shettima to lead a high-powered Federal Government delegation to Kano to express sympathy and support for victims of the Singer Market fire disaster.

This was disclosed in a statement by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.

Onanuga said the delegation, scheduled to depart Abuja on Monday, will convey President Tinubu’s condolences to traders who lost billions of naira in the weekend inferno that engulfed the market — the second such incident in just two weeks.

The delegation will also convey the Federal Government’s pledge of financial assistance to support affected traders and assist the Kano State Government in facilitating the swift reopening of the market.

Members of the delegation include the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas; Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin; Kawu Ismaila; and Abubakar Kabir Bichi, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation.

Also on the team are the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Bernard M. Doro, and the Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Zubaida Umar.

President Tinubu had earlier spoken by telephone with Abba Kabir Yusuf to express his condolences to the traders and people of Kano State over the devastating fire outbreak.

The fire, which began on Saturday evening and raged into Sunday morning, caused extensive damage at what is regarded as Nigeria’s largest food market.

The President expressed particular concern that the latest incident occurred less than two weeks after a previous fire destroyed dozens of shops and goods at the same market.

President Tinubu has since directed a comprehensive investigation into the causes of the recurring market fires, which have continued to leave traders in distress.