Fresh Fire Guts Singer Market In Kano As Gov Yusuf Seeks FG Intervention

A devastating fire outbreak has ravaged the popular Singer Market in Kano State, destroying properties worth over ₦5 billion, affecting more than 1,000 businesses, and leaving seven persons missing.

READ ALSO: Tinubu Orders Investigation Into Kano Market Fire

The Chairman of the market, Junaid Zakari, who disclosed the extent of the damage on Sunday, described the incident as one of the worst tragedies in the history of the market.

<span data-mce-type="bookmark" style="display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;" class="mce_SELRES_start"></span>

According to him, four residential buildings housing small-scale businesses were completely razed by the inferno.

“This is one of the darkest moments we have experienced in Singer Market. Properties worth over ₦5 billion have been lost.

“More than 1,000 shops and businesses have been affected, and the livelihoods of hundreds of families have been crippled,” Zakari said.

He added that goods, equipment, and other valuables were completely burnt, leaving traders in despair.

“As of now, seven persons have been declared missing. We are still searching and trying to confirm their whereabouts. Investigations are ongoing to determine whether they are alive or dead,” he added.

According to Zakari, emergency responders and security agencies responded promptly to the scene and are working to ascertain the cause of the fire.

“We appreciate the efforts of the firefighters and security agencies who intervened,” he said. “However, the damage has already been done, and the scale of destruction is overwhelming.”

The market chairman stressed the urgent need for government intervention and public support to help affected traders rebuild their businesses.

“This tragedy will not be forgotten in the history of Singer Market. We are appealing to the government, corporate organisations, and well-meaning individuals to come to our aid so that our people can stand on their feet again,” Zakari lamented.

Singer Market is one of the major commercial hubs in Kano, serving thousands of traders and customers daily. Investigations into the cause of the fire are ongoing.

The blaze reportedly started at about 4:00 p.m. on Saturday and continued to burn late into the night.

Gov Yusuf Visits Market

Emergency responders from the Kano State Fire Service, supported by the Federal Fire Service and some private organisations, battled the inferno for several hours as traders attempted to salvage their goods.

The fire affected parts of the market, including the Gidan Gilas section, where shops and property were damaged.

Governor Abba Yusuf later visited the scene on Saturday night to assess the situation and commended firefighters and security agencies for their response.

During the visit, the governor called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to intervene by providing modern firefighting equipment, including air support and other critical tools, to help contain the fire and prevent future recurrences.

In a statement issued on Sunday by his spokesperson, Sanusi Dawakin-Tofa, Yusuf urged traders and residents to remain calm and cooperate with emergency responders as efforts continued to contain the fire.

Devastation

The latest outbreak comes less than two weeks after a devastating fire swept through the market in the early hours of February 2, destroying goods worth billions of naira.

That incident affected several sections along Bello Road, including Gidan Mazaf, Gidan Taki, and Gidan Katsinawa, where large quantities of household commodities such as soap, detergent, and cooking oil were lost.

Following the earlier disaster, top political figures visited the market to sympathise with traders and assess the scale of losses.

Among them were Rabiu Kwankwaso and Peter Obi, who both expressed solidarity with victims and called for stronger investment in emergency response systems.

The Kano State Government also pledged support for affected traders and directed relevant agencies to intensify fire-prevention campaigns across markets and commercial hubs.

The state government described the repeated incidents as “deeply distressing,” assuring traders of continued engagement with stakeholders to cushion the impact of losses.

Authorities say efforts are ongoing to fully assess the extent of damage from the latest blaze, while investigations into its cause are expected to follow.