It was a sad moment for traders at Karmo Market located along life camp- Gwagwa road , as some sections of the market were razed by fire.
This ugly incident happened in the early hours of Wednesday 17th January, 2024. It was not the first time the market has gone in flames, destroying goods worth millions of naira and subjecting many into emotional pains and insolvency.
Speaking with some of the affected traders who gathered around, looking helplessly at the ashes of their shops and goods, they were short of words, confused on what could be the cause of this recurrent fire out break in the market.
According to them, this was about the fourth time the market was gutted by fire, making traders to lose millions of naira within a twinkle.
The last time it happened was last two years , according to them, same sections affected now were same sections that got destroyed two years ago.
The sad aspect of the whole incident according them was that, many of those whose shops got burnt are either in debt from the last fire incident, depending on credit facilities to sustain their businesses or borrowed money to get their business sustained.
They wondered what would be their faith now, in this biting economic situation, especially those of them who just returned from their Christmas holidays, trying to recover from both the festive and back to school expenses.
When asked what would be their next step, their replies were heart-rending. “We don’t know, it was like a dream, we are confused”
Only God will give us the consolation and the grace to maintain sanity. This is enough to make one either run mad or commit suicide, they said.
They called on the relevant authorities to carry out an indepth investigation towards uncovering the people behind this wicked act.
When asked if there were people that they suspect could be behind the inferno, they answered in the negative, but maintained that it was not spirits that were behind it but human beings.
They thereafter showed optimism that if proper and unbiased investigation is carried out those behind it and their motives could be uncovered and proper consequences for their actions meted out accordingly.
They thereafter called on FCT Minister, AMAC Chairman and all good people of FCT to come to their aid in providing either palliatives, loans or grants for them to start their life afresh.
On the plan of relocating the market since its present location isn’t a permanent place, they asked the relevant authorities to carry the traders along in their plans and expressed readiness to help government in achieving it.
According to them the recurrent fire out breaks in that market have rendered many rich traders poor and well to do families into debtors and if there is another place this market can be relocated to avoid this biannual fire incident, they will welcome it and support it. ,”We are sick and tired of this human wickedness to their fellow human beings here in this market” they lamented.
Jarlath Uche Opara Jarlathuche@gmail.com
