President Bola Tinubu has directed Vice President Kashim Shettima to lead a high-level Federal Government delegation to Kano following the devastating fire at Singer Market.
According to a statement issued by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, the delegation will depart Abuja to convey the president’s condolences to traders affected by the blaze. The fire, which broke out on Saturday evening and lasted into Sunday morning, is reported to have destroyed goods worth billions of naira. It marks the second major incident at the market within two weeks.
The delegation is expected to pledge financial assistance on behalf of the Federal Government to support victims and help the Kano State government facilitate the swift reopening of the market. Singer Market is regarded as Nigeria’s largest food market and a critical commercial hub in the region.
Members of the delegation include Tajudeen Abbas, Speaker of the House of Representatives; Barau Jibrin, Deputy Senate President; Senator Kawu Ismaila; and Abubakar Kabir Bichi, Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations. Also on the team are the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Dr Bernard M. Doro, and Zubaida Umar, Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
President Tinubu had earlier spoken by telephone with Abba Kabir Yusuf, Governor of Kano State, to express sympathy to the traders and residents. The president has also ordered a comprehensive investigation into the repeated market fires, expressing concern that the latest incident occurred shortly after a previous outbreak at the same location.
