Vice President Kashim Shettima will on Monday lead a Federal Government delegation to Kano State following the devastating fire outbreak at Singa Market over the weekend.
According to a statement by the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the delegation is to convey the President’s condolences to traders who lost goods and property worth billions of naira in the inferno.
The fire, which broke out on Saturday evening and raged into Sunday morning, caused extensive damage to the market. It was the second fire incident to engulf Singa Market within a two-week period.
The delegation is also expected to pledge financial assistance on behalf of the Federal Government to support affected traders and help Kano State authorities facilitate the swift reopening of the market.
Members of the delegation include the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas; Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin; Kawu Ismaila; and Abubakar Kabir Bichi, Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations.
Also included are the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Bernard Doro, and the Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency, Zubaida Umar.
The statement further disclosed that President Tinubu had earlier contacted Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf to express condolences to traders and residents and to receive a situation report. Following the briefing, the President directed a comprehensive investigation into the recurring market fires, with the latest being the second in recent weeks.
Governor Yusuf, during an assessment visit to the Gidan Gilas section of the market, appealed to the Federal Government for urgent intervention through the provision of modern firefighting equipment, including air support. In a statement by his spokesperson, Sanusi Dawakin-Tofa, the governor said such support would significantly strengthen the capacity of fire services to respond to emergencies in major commercial centres nationwide.
The governor also urged traders and residents to remain calm and cooperate with emergency responders as efforts continued to bring the situation under control. During the visit, he announced a donation of ₦100 million to affected traders.
Meanwhile, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Nentawe Yilwatda, accompanied by former APC National Chairman and ex-Governor of Kano State, Umar Ganduje, visited the market on Sunday to commiserate with traders. Yilwatda interacted with victims, assessed the level of destruction and conveyed the party’s sympathies.
The Southern Governors’ Forum also expressed condolences to the Kano State Government and victims. In a statement issued by its chairman and Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, the forum described the incident as one of the most tragic in the market’s history, noting that the destruction of four residential buildings housing small-scale businesses dealt a heavy blow to many families.
Similarly, the Northern States Governors’ Forum sympathised with affected traders and residents. Its chairman and Governor of Gombe State, Muhammadu Yahaya, said the inferno was particularly heartbreaking as it occurred barely weeks after a similar incident, compounding losses and emotional trauma.
Former Kano State Governor and ex-presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, described the incident as devastating and called on relevant authorities, emergency agencies, humanitarian organisations and the private sector to urgently mobilise resources to contain the fire and mitigate losses.
Also reacting, former Senate President Bukola Saraki urged a thorough investigation into the cause of the fire to ensure practical measures are taken to safeguard markets, while commending emergency responders and volunteers for their efforts.
Chairman of Singa Market, Junaid Zakari, said property worth over ₦5 billion was destroyed, with more than 1,000 businesses affected and seven persons declared missing as of Sunday. He described the incident as one of the worst tragedies in the market’s history, adding that four residential buildings housing small-scale businesses were completely razed.
Singa Market has witnessed recurring fire outbreaks, with previous incidents recorded in 2023 and November 2025, when 44 shops were destroyed. Investigations have often linked the fires to faulty wiring and poor handling of electrical appliances.
Emergency responders at the scene said officials of the Kano State Fire Service initially arrived with a fire truck, but the water supply was exhausted while battling the flames. A second truck later joined the operation, alongside a private water tanker provided by Aspira Nigeria Limited.
Investigations and relief efforts are ongoing as authorities work to prevent further losses and avert future incidents.
ELIJAH ADEYEMI
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