By Fidel Ozugha
Traders of B Line at the popular Asa Nnentu Spare Parts in Alaoji Market, Aba are counting their losses as fire has burnt their goods worth millions of Naira.
Since markets do not burn on their own in Nigeria “According to the Igbos“. It always has a tribal sentiment attached to it.. so I’m going to word this incident correctly “
Located at Alaoji in Ugwunagbo Local Government along Enugu-Aba-Port Harcourt Expressway in Abia State, Alaoji Spare Parts Market is one of the biggest spare parts markets in the Southeast. Allegedly affected about 30 shops filled with goods, the cause of the fire could not be ascertained as at the time of filing this report.
Efforts by Fire Servicemen from Umuahia to put out the fire yielded positive results as it prevented it from spreading to other buildings in the market.
Some of the highly affected traders just offloaded goods worth millions of Naira in readiness for the season. They lamented the huge losses they had incurred and ask for assistance in order to feed their families.
Aba State Commissioner for Trade and Commerce, Dr. Chimezie Isaac Ukaegbu, Mayor of Ugwunagbo Council and his Aba North counterpart, Ide John Udeagbala, visited the traders in company with the Director-General, Greater Aba Developmental Authority, Uche Ukeje to console the victims.
Commissioner Ukaegbu, sympathising with the traders, disclosed that he was at the market at the instance of Governor Alex Otti, to assess the level of damage caused by the inferno. He promised to convey his findings to Governor Otti and advised the traders to be careful to prevent fire incidents especially during this harmattan period.
