Senate Calls for Investigation into Singer Market Blaze

The Nigerian Senate has directed its Committee on Interior to conduct a thorough investigation into the recent fire outbreak at Singer Market located in Kano State. The fire is reported to have resulted in the destruction of shops and merchandise valued at billions of naira.

This decision was reached after a motion proposed during Tuesday's plenary by the Deputy Senate President, Barau I. Jibrin, with the support of Senators Kawu Samaila and Rufai Hangar.

The committee is tasked with providing a report of its findings within a four- week timeframe.

Additionally, the Senate has called for the market's management to undertake a complete redesign of the layout and structures to mitigate the risk of future fire outbreaks.

During the session, the Senate commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his approval of a N5 billion donation intended to assist the victims, as well as acknowledging the N3 billion contributed by the Progressive Governors’ Forum. They urged the Federal Government, via the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), to promptly assess the extent of the damage and provide necessary relief for the affected traders.

Furthermore, NEMA has been tasked with initiating search and rescue operations to find seven traders reported missing following the fire incident. The Senate recommends that the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development develop a soft loan scheme to help affected victims rebuild their businesses.

A nationwide audit of safety compliance in major markets across the country has also been mandated for the fire service.

In leading the debate, Senator Jibrin revealed that the fire caused losses exceeding N100 billion, impacting more than 1,000 businesses, primarily small and medium-sized enterprises. He voiced concerns regarding the seven individuals who remain unaccounted for.

Additionally, the Deputy Senate President highlighted that initial reports suggested that the significant damage to the market, crucial for local trade, was partly due to a delay in emergency responses. He added that "many of the traders lack insurance coverage, which exacerbates their challenges."

Senator Aliyu Wadada, while contributing to the discussion, emphasized the need for the Senate to move beyond mere sympathy and address the fundamental causes of the incident to avert future occurrences.

He questioned, "What is the source of this issue? This particular market suffered a fire just 2–3 weeks prior, and we need to investigate the underlying problems to prevent recurrence."

Senate President Godswill Akpabio encouraged "well-meaning Nigerians to support the victims in their recovery efforts."

"We also hope that the next design of the market will prevent similar crises in the future," he added.