NUJ, former chief of staff commiserate with Borno govt, victims over market inferno

Borno State Council of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has commiserated with the state government and victims of the Maiduguri Monday Market (MMM) fire disaster, which destroyed goods and wares.

The market suffered similar disaster on Sunday, August 15, 2010, which destroyed about 75 per cent of the shops, grains stores, electronics sheds and boutiques.

The Council also condemned the attack on a member and Secretary of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Pauline Vana and her cameraman by hoodlums, while reporting the outbreak.

Sympathising with the victims, yesterday, in Maiduguri, the NUJ Chairman, Dauda Iliya said: “The market fire incident led to the destruction of goods and property worth billions of naira,” adding that the lost market wares and property belong to thousands of traders and market women in the Maiduguri metropolis.

Besides, he added that the entire market premises including many shops and stores were razed by the inferno that lasted for over six hours.
Commending Governor Babagana Zulum for the N1 billion emergency fund, he said: “I call on the Federal Government, North East Development Commission (NEDC), National and International Relief Agencies and other philanthropists organisations to assist the fire victims.”

According to him, journalists at all times should not be targets of attack as the society needs to be informed on the happenings around them.

He said that the reports of events are to be carried out during emergencies, crisis and pandemics that affect people’s living conditions.

ALSO, former Chief of Army Staff, Amb. Tukur Buratai (rtd) has sympathised with the Borno State government and victims of the Maiduguri Monday Market (MMM) fire disaster.

He said that he was devastated with the unfortunate market fire outbreak that lasted for over six hours in the Maiduguri metropolis.

While lamenting the fire incident, he said: “I was horrified, saddened and distressed with the destruction of tons of market wares and other goods.”

He, therefore, commiserated with the victims and their families, adding that he shared their pains at this trying moment.