OVER 40 SHOPS DESTROYED BY FIRE AT AKWATA, OGBETE MARKET ENUGU

Over forty shops containing goods worth millions of naira have been destroyed by fire at the Akwata axis of the Ogbete Main Market Enugu.

When Radio Nigeria visited the scene of the incident which took place yesterday, shop owners and sympathizers were overwhelmed by the level of damage caused by the fire.

The Chairman, Corn Millers Association in the market, Mr., Augustine Ogbonna said that more than one hundred milling machines including the stored goods were gutted by fire.

Two other victims of the incident, Mr. Friday Egbueri and Mr. Chukwuemeka Joseph lamented that all they had laboured for had been destroyed by fire and appealed to government at all levels to come to their aid.

They noted that the cause of the fire had not been ascertained as the shops affected had not been connected to electricity.

The Transition Chairman, Enugu North Local Government, Mr. John Eze who was on ground to see the level of damage, described the incident as disastrous.

Other items destroyed by the fire include bags of garri, guinea corn, dried cassava, cowpea, yam and other dry grains.

OBINNA OGBUKA