Paul Orude, Bauchi
The Bauchi State Rapid Task Force on Coronovirus and Lassa fever has shut down two markets in the state capital selling fairly-used clothes, locally referred to as ‘gwonjo’.
The chairman of the task force committee and deputy governor of the state, Baba Tella, disclosed this to journalists in Bauchi on Thursday.
“The committee shut down two markets that operate on Friday namely C and C behind Railway and IBB Square,” he said.
Tella said the move became necessary to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
He stated that most of the traders in the markets come from outside neighbouring states with high index cases.
He lamented that although movements through the borders of the state had been restricted, traders in the two markets had been trooping in from outside the state.
Meanwhile, properties worth millions of naira have been destroyed as fire razed Bauchi’s major market.
Our men and officers of the FFS have successfully extinguish the fire at muda lawal market Bauchi pic.twitter.com/QecVjb85BN
— Amru_Yakubu (@AmruYakubu) April 16, 2020
A five-year-old boy was reportedly killed in the fire outbreak while properties worth millions of naira were destroyed at Muda Lawal Market, one of the popular markets in Bauchi metropolis.
The Chairman of Muda Lawal Market, Baba Maigaji who confirmed the incident, said that although the actual cause of the fire could not be ascertained of the moment, eyewitness reports stated that the fire was caused by a spark triggered by an electrical fault from a Keke Napep that was parked close to a truck carrying mattresses.
He said a section of the market was destroyed, adding that the incident happened in the heart of the market where there were a lot of trading activities.
According to him, the fire was eventually put out by the officials of fire service in the state who came to the scene of the incident as security were equally deployed to the area to maintain law and order.
“The fire started from a truck carrying mattresses that was parked in the market since yesterday. Most of the eyewitnesses said that there a Keke Napep that parked closed to the truck; it started the fire as a result of an electric spark.”
