President Muhammadu Buhari has commiserated with the victims of the market fire which occurred on Saturday in Jos, Plateau State capital.
Buhari said he was “devastated by the scale of economic losses suffered by hard working and ordinary Nigerians who believe in self-reliance to support themselves.”
In the condolence message which was signed on Sunday by the President’s Senior Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the president added that every democratic leader would genuinely feel the pains of the victims of the fire.
“Trading and agriculture remain the mainstay of these hardworking businessmen and women and every democratic leader would genuinely feel the pains of the victims of this fire disaster.
“With profound sense of empathy, I am touched by the large-scale economic losses suffered by the victims of this fire disaster. The role of these enterprising Nigerians in the economy of our country cannot be underestimated,” the president said.
Buhari also expressed worry at the scale of fire disaster, adding, “I am confident that your enterprising spirit would help you rebuild your lives. May God replenish you with more prosperity.”
He appealed to the local authorities concerned to take every necessary measure to forestall frequent fire incidents, adding that the incidents were taking a heavy toll on people’s means of livelihood and the intervention of all three tiers of government would go a long way to alleviating the hardships.
Shops and warehouses numbering over 200 were on Saturday destroyed by fire at the popular Terminus market in Jos, the Plateau State capital.
Properties worth millions of naira were also lost to the fire which was said to have started in the early hours of Saturday.
The cause is yet to be ascertained, even as the traders are left to count their losses.