Kano State’s Singer Market lies in ruins after a massive fire wiped out shops and goods worth billions of naira, leaving traders scrambling and seven still unaccounted for.
The Senate has now stepped in, ordering a full investigation into what it described as both immediate and systemic causes of the disaster.
Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, who raised the alarm in plenary, warned that the blaze exposed vulnerabilities in the market’s structure and emergency preparedness.
“Many of the affected traders have no insurance, and delayed response worsened the losses,” he said, noting that over 1,000 businesses, mostly small and medium enterprises, were hit.
The upper chamber’s resolution goes beyond investigating the fire. Senators urged market authorities to redesign the layout and implement safety measures to prevent future catastrophes.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government, through the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), has been called to coordinate relief efforts and conduct search and rescue operations for the missing traders.
The disaster has already prompted financial support from multiple sources. President Bola Tinubu approved N5 billion in aid for victims, while the Progressive Governors’ Forum added N3 billion. The Senate also pressed the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development to develop a soft loan scheme to help traders rebuild their livelihoods.
Senator Aliyu Wadada stressed that the fire is a symptom of a deeper problem: repeated incidents and inadequate safety oversight.
“We must understand why this keeps happening. Without addressing the root cause, the tragedy will repeat itself,” he said.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio called on Nigerians to assist the victims and expressed hope that the next phase of reconstruction would prioritize safety and resilience.
The fire service has been tasked with auditing compliance in markets nationwide, aiming to prevent similar disasters from crippling local commerce in the future.
