Over 500 shops destroyed millions of properties perished in devastating Market Fire

The Sokoto State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) has commenced preliminary assessment of the financial impact of Wednesday’s fire disaster at the Kara Yan Katako market.

The Director, Relief and Rehabilitation at SEMA, Mr Mustapha Umar, made this known while addressing journalists in Sokoto.

Umar said the agency would initiate full-scale damage assessment on Friday to provide a more precise estimate of losses as well as mobilise support for affected traders.

He said the management of Kara market was unable to immediately determine the exact financial impact of the disaster.

Earlier, the Chairman of the market, Alhaji Rilwanu Bello, described the disaster as catastrophic, confirming significant losses.

Bello said that local emergency teams struggled to contain the fire.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the fire, which broke out around 2 a.m. on Wednesday, destroyed over 500 shops.(NAN)

A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Maitama, Abuja, yesterday heard how former Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika approved contracts to a company – Al Buraq Global Investment Limited – in which his daughter, Fatima, and son-in-law, Jalal Sule Hamma, have interests.

A former Director of Procurement in the ministry, Musa Odiniyan, said this while testifying as the fifth prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of Sirika, Fatima, Jalal, and Al Buraq Global on a six-count charge bordering on corrupt practices.

In the charge, the prosecution alleged, among others, that Sirika used his “position to confer unfair advantage upon Al Buraq Global Investment Limited, whose alter ego, Fatima Hadi Sirika and Jalal Sule Hamma, are your daughter and son-in-law, respectively, by using your position to influence the award to them, the contract for the Apron Extension at Katsina Airport for the sum of N1,498,300,750”.

Fatima is said to be a staff member of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd, while Jalal Sule Hamma is described as an employee of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).

During his cross-examination yesterday by Sirika’s lawyer, Michael Numa (SAN), Odiniyan insisted that for a contract to be executed, the minister must have approved it.

When asked about the role of the minister in the award of contracts, the witness said the former minister gave the final approval before the implementation of the contracts approved by the Ministerial Tenders Board (MTB).

BREAKING; Former Minister dies after protracted illnes, Governor mourns

Lt.-Gen. Jeremiah Useni (Rtd), the former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, is dead.

Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau, confirmed this in a statement by his Director of Press and Public Affairs (DOPPA), Dr Gyang Bere, on Thursday in Jos.

Mutfwang said that Useni, who also represented Plateau South Senatorial District between 2015 and 2019, died at the age of 82.

The governor also confirmed that the former FCT minister under Gen. Sani Abacha’s government, died on Thursday after a protracted illness.

Mutfwang, who described Useni’s demise as a huge loss to Plateau, urged his immediate family and residents of the state in general to take solace in God.

“On behalf of my family, the government, and the peace-loving people of Plateau, I wish to extend my deepest sympathy to the President, the Armed Forces and Tarok nation over the loss of this distinguished elder statesman.

“I wish to also extend my condolences to his immediate family and relations; I call on them to take solace in God in this trying time ,”Bere quoted Mutfwang as saying.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the deceased also served as Minister of Transport and Quarter-Master General of the Nigerian Army, among many other appointments during his military career.

After retirement, Useni ventured into politics where he served as Deputy Chairman of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), and senator.

He was also the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Plateau during the 2019 General Elections. (NAN)