Goods worth millions of naira were destroyed yesterday, when the Gambouru main market was gutted by fire in the early hours of Sunday in Maiduguri, Borno State capital.
  
Confirming the incident, Bukar Modu, of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), said: “We had to mobilise our members in putting out the fire that has already destroyed most of the market shops and stalls.”
 
He lamented that yesterday’s incident happened eight months after the burnt Maiduguri Monday Market was reopened by Governor Babagana Zulum last month.
   
He said: “Our fears were that the fire may spread to other shops and warehouses, before firefighters rushed to the scene,”

Modu said the CJTF members employed water and sand in putting out the fire near the Customs Flyover Bridge.

“The measures were to prevent the fire from destroying more shops and stalls. You can see residents and other passersby were stranded and shocked over the fire disaster,” he added.

Modu said the CJTF and other volunteers are around to prevent youths from looting other shops that were not affected by the fire.   
 
At press time, the cause of the fire outbreak; was yet to be ascertained by authorities, while fire fighters were yet to arrive at the market, which serves Maiduguri metropolis and Jere Local Council.