A devastating fire broke out on Tuesday, April 8, at the Zamfara Central Market, destroying 55 shops in the herbal medicine section. The fire, which began in the early hours of the morning, struck just six weeks after another blaze had gutted 103 shops in the same market.

One of the victims, Sa’adu Dahiru, who is also the chairman of the traders, shared his experience of the destruction. He explained that the shops that were affected primarily belonged to sellers of blouses and seasoning.

“I know some of our members who have lost everything. They have families to feed and depend on this business for their livelihood,” Dahiru said. “One of our members had kept N50,000 in his shop with plans to deposit it in the bank today, but the money was destroyed along with his goods.”

Dahiru has called on the state government to address their plight and provide financial support to help them recover from the devastating loss.