Many traders have lost goods worth millions of naira after fire destroyed many shops and wares at the popular Eke market in Afikpo North LGA of Ebonyi State. The incident which occurred in the late hours of Tuesday night Left several traders devastated as they narrated tale of woes while counting their losses. According to some of the traders, goods worth millions of naira were destroyed by the inferno. Though no life was lost.
The cause of the fire was yet to be ascertained but the traders who were taken unawares made frantic efforts to salvage their goods without success because of the intensity of the fire. A trader in the market, Mr Mba Okereke said he lost two of his shops to the inferno. “It’s devastating; I lost everything in my shops with all my goods destroyed.” “We don’t know the source of the fire but many shops with goods worth millions of naira were destroyed.”
“We’re calling the government to come to our aid to enable us to get new sources of livelihood.” Meanwhile, the Senator representing Ebonyi South Senatorial district, Senator Michael Ama Nnachi has expressed deep shock over the fire incident. Senator Nnachi in a press statement empathised with the traders and Afikpo people over the sad incident. Sen. Nnachi who described the fire incident as most unfortunate and worrisome, called the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and other relevant agencies to quickly intervene by providing relief materials to the victims.“I commiserate with the people of Afikpo North and in particular those who are directly affected by the fire outbreak at the Eke market.
“Let me call officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) for quick intervention by providing relief materials to the victims. “I will also make other interventions at our personal level to assuage the plights of all those who are affected. He also called on the relevant authourities to investigate the cause of the incident with a view to preventing a recurrence.
