No fewer than 217 temporary shops were burnt at Terminus Main Market of Jos North Local government area of Plateau state.
The Plateau State Police Commissioner in the state, Mr. Undie Adie who was in the market to assess the situation told journalists that the mystery fire started at about 1:30am on Saturday.
Mr. Adie explained that when the fire started his DPO in charge of the area promptly alerted him and equally alerted the fire service department – who did their job to contain the situation.
The Police Commissioner added that the cause of the fire remains a mystery, clarifying that his command was also liaising with fire service team to ascertain the cause of the fire.
He said that his officers and Special Task-Force unit were able to cordon off the area to avert looting.
"And few of the things we have salvaged were secured at the police post. We are liaising with the chairman of the market so that we can identify those who suffered losses,” he said.
Also speaking, Chairman of Traders Association of the market, AbdulRahman Jimoh Yusuf said properties worth millions of Naira were destroyed.
He said, “One marketer, Alhaji Magaji Abdullahi has more than 166 dealers and each dealer cost about N180, 000, when you make the multiplication it would give you N29, 880, 000. And many marketers lost their properties worth millions of Naira."
