…Kashim Imam Donates N100m To Victims
By Ndahi Marama, Maiduguri
The reconstruction of Maiduguri Monday market, which was razed on Sunday by an early morning fire disaster, is to begin this week, the governor of Borno State, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has announced.
Zulum made this known on Monday, when he received a group of prominent Borno citizens living in Abuja.
The citizens who came to Maiduguri were led by Ambassador Babagana Kingibe on a sympathy visit to the government and people of Borno State.
The Maiduguri Monday market, established about 40 years ago, was said to be the largest in the North-East sub-region, bringing together thousands of buyers and sellers; but unfortunately, the early morning inferno destroyed goods worth billions of naira.
Zulum said, “We are constituting a committee that will coordinate all matters relating to the Monday market inferno. Most importantly, the committee will look into the possibility of rehabilitating the stalls at the market. Insha Allah, the work will commence tomorrow (Tuesday).
“While we are waiting for support from the Federal Government, Borno State government will not completely fold its arms waiting, we have to start somewhere.”
Governor Zulum expressed gratitude to the delegation, which comprised the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited, NNPCL, Mele Kolo Kyari, Chairman of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFund, Mutawali Kashim Ibrahim Imam, among other Borno indigenes.
Speaking earlier, leader of the delegation, elder statesman, Ambassador Kingibe, commiserated with the victims of the fire disaster.
He also commended the steps taken by Governor Zulum towards cushioning the hardship faced by the affected traders.
Kingibe said, “We appreciate the quick reaction of Your Excellency (Governor Zulum). We understand that you were out of town when the incident happened but on arrival, you went direct to the scene of the incident. You made a very inspiring broadcast and you immediately set up a committee to assess the tragedy and approved N1 billion.
“Your Excellency, myself and Alhaji Imam left Maiduguri just yesterday, we have planned for quite a number of us, sons and daughters of Borno to come in a delegation to commiserate with the people of Borno through Your Excellency, over this tragic incident that overtook Maiduguri market three days ago.
“The livelihood in Maiduguri revolves around the Monday market and indeed the other markets. Monday market, Maiduguri, is not just any old market, it is an old and historic market. We grief deeply over this tragic event.”
…Imam Donates N100m To Victims
In continuation of offering support, the Chairman of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFund, Alhaji Imam, on Monday announced a personal donation of N100 million to support victims of the Maiduguri market disaster.
Imam, a frontline politician was in Kingibe’s delegation and he spoke after Kingibe.
He said, “The leader of the delegation, Ambassador Kingibe has spoken on behalf of all of us, I also wish to join in commiserating with all those that were badly affected by this very sad incident. I also want to say that we share in their pains. I want to appeal to all indigenes of Borno, especially those that are in a position to assist the victims to immediately come to the aid. I wish to end my very brief comment by committing the sum of N100 million.”
