Traders are still counting their losses after a fire ripped through Abuja’s bustling Wuse Market on March 12, 2024, causing widespread devastation and leaving shop owners with hundreds of millions in damages.
The inferno, reportedly triggered by teargas shot by police officers during a protest in the market, ravaged ten shops. Among the worst hit was a gold jewellery store that lost over 7kg of gold, valued at N900 million.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, some affected shop owners have appealed for government assistance, lamenting their devastating losses.
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Speaking with THE WHISTLER, Usman Umar, manager of the gold jewellery store, disclosed that the business, uninsured and operating without loans, had lost a staggering amount of gold.
“We lost nothing less than 7 kilograms of gold, worth about N800 million to N900 million. A kilogram of gold costs around N120 million. Our shop was uninsured, and we didn’t borrow for the business. This situation has severely affected us, and we’re hoping the market management and the government will help,” Umar told THE WHISTLER on Tuesday.
“The situation has affected me badly. There’s nothing we can do, I guess that’s how God wants it. We are waiting and hoping that the market management and the government do something about it.”
Asked if the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, had visited or made any pledge toward assisting them since the occurrence, Umar said “For now, the government is yet to do something, we had a meeting and the Abuja Investments Company Limited promised to fix the shops temporarily for us to continue our business. I can’t say what was agreed because I didn’t follow them to the meeting.”
THE WHISTLER earlier reported eyewitness accounts which said the incident started with the arrest of a hawker, Yahaya Ibrahim, by the market’s task force for violating market regulations.
Ibrahim faced a mobile court within the market premises and reportedly attempted to escape after he was convicted and was unable to bail himself.
This led to a chase by correctional officers who shot and killed Ibrahim in the Wuse Zone 5 area of the FCT. The incident sparked outrage among market hawkers, who then staged a protest.
The protest descended into violence as the demonstrators targeted the police station in the market and set ablaze vehicles, including those belonging to the market task force head, simply identified as Musa and correctional services. Amidst the mayhem, teargas fired by police were believed to have ignited a shop and triggered the fire that engulfed several businesses. Total damages were initially estimated at over N1bn.
Another affected shop owner who spoke to THE WHISTLER, Ben Ekwedike, decried the actions of the police, pointing to their use of teargas during the protest as the cause of the shop owners’ misfortune. He condemned the overall lack of accountability and urged authorities to take action to prevent similar tragedies.
Ekwedike, who estimates his losses at N90 million, recounted how he built his curtains and accessories business over two decades, only to see it destroyed in an instant. He placed his hope for rebuilding on potential support from the government.
“The tear gas they (the police) shot into one of the shops cost us our means of livelihood. In this country, someone can wake up any day and do whatever they want without consequence,” the father of four from Imo State lamented with a voice heavy with emotion. “We’re pained, but we have the courage to rebuild, knowing life doesn’t end here.”
“I can’t see the reason people who called themselves police officers, who are meant to protect lives and properties will now be the ones devastating the lives and properties that are being insured for them to take care of.
“Not only that but after the incident, there was denial that they (the police) didn’t do such a thing. You can imagine, from the news coming from radio stations, televisions, and prints, that certain hoodlums came and burnt down the market, who were these hoodlums? Where did they come from? Are they saying the market people or the shop owners are hoodlums? Maybe the market association or the customers that came to patronize us are the hoodlums. It’s annoying because this thing that happened to us might still happen again if not properly addressed.”
He added, “This is not the first time. We have records of tear gas incidents in the market, where people ran away and left the market. Until the proper action is taken against the culprits, it will continue, and that is the country we found ourselves in.
“The government needs to sit up and address situations or challenges like this. They are not doing anything, and the people suffering this are the masses. If they want to investigate and find whoever must have caused this problem, I know they can do so, but they will not do it. Until they sit up and begin to look into issues holistically and accompany them with justice all this mess will stop. You will know as an offender if you do something like this, this is the punishment that awaits you.
“As you can see, we no longer come to the market to sell, we are at home, our businesses are down but there are expenses to be taken care of every day. How do you make up these expenses? Where do you get funds to take care of these expenses?
“When the government makes promises, they don’t keep to it, there are so many lapses in the country that need to be addressed and adjusted.”
Asked if his business was insured, he said: “I don’t have any deal with any insurance company, not that I don’t like it but I don’t have time for such business,” adding that his curtains and accessories business was free of loans “Yes, I have operated my business on loan in the past, the loan I collected last was with the Access Bank and that was in 2022 and I cleared it in 2023.”
While delegates from the offices of Vice President Kashim Shettima and Senator Ireti Kingibe, were said to have visited the market and promised to investigate and provide support, concrete actions and solutions remain elusive.
The Abuja Investments Company Limited (AICT) also visited the site and promised temporary rebuilding to facilitate a resumption of business activities.
Despite assurances, a sense of uncertainty lingers among the shop owners. The timeline for reconstruction and the possibility of compensation also remains unclear.
Mrs B.O., who lost over N150 million, passionately appealed for urgent assistance in rebuilding her business.
“We the affected shop owners and the chairman of the market association had a meeting with the Abuja Investments Company Limited (AICL) and they promised to rebuild the place temporarily for us to start our business back. They came to check the blocks but have not gotten back to us. We also discussed compensation but it’s just the rebuilding of the blocks that is making headway for now.”