Fire has engulfed the popular Dei-Dei Abuja Furniture Makers Association (AFMA) market located at the heart of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
The chairman of Dei-Dei new site AFMA, Mr. Daniel Akhigbe Ebhodaghe, in an interview with journalists, Monday, said he received a phone call about 4.3am on Thursday, alerting him about the fire incident at their market shops.
He said the inferno razed several shops, including machineries, generators, and other accessories worth about N300 million.
He further said the incident did not record any casualty but properties were lost, as several shops were razed down during the inferno.
He said the cause of the fire was yet unknown as it occurred at night when the market remained closed, adding that the incident had been reported to the police and investigation begun to ascertain the cause and extent of damage.
One of the victims and the treasurer of the association, Mr. Paul Emiantor, while counting their losses following the mysterious fire that burnt down their shops, said there should be thorough investigation so that appropriate lessons could be learnt.
“It is a disaster, because I don’t know what to tell our customers who have given us work to do when they come asking for their property. As I’m talking to you now, I don’t have ten Kobo with me; I what well-meaning Nigerians to come to our aid,” he pleaded.
On his part, the legal adviser to the association, Barr David E. Aigbefoh, appealed to the federal, state, local governments and organisations to assist the victims of the fire incident, given the damage and loss suffered by the victims.
Barrister Aigbefoh disclosed that about 24 heavy duty machines were burnt down during the fire incident and called on government to mobilise the fire service to perform optimally, advising for stringent measures against any individual or group that would carry out activity resulting into any inferno.
