Fire razes Kaduna market, traders suspect ethnic targeting
A catastrophic fire engulfed a major food distribution warehouse and several adjoining shops at Narayi Bus Stop in Kaduna in the early hours of Friday, leaving dozens of traders devastated and fueling suspicions of an ethnically-motivated attack.
The inferno, which reportedly began around 1:00 a.m., is believed to have started in the warehouse of a prominent food distribution company that stored large quantities of rice, sugar, and vegetable oil. Witnesses say the fire rapidly spread, consuming surrounding shops and reducing them to rubble before emergency services arrived.
An eyewitness who requested anonymity alleged the fire may have been an act of arson, suggesting it was carried out in retaliation against the warehouse manager, Mr. Saheed Olusegun Adeleke.
According to the source, Adeleke had earlier leaked information to security agencies about a planned attack targeting traders of a specific ethnic background.
The fire is believed to have started in the vegetable oil section of the warehouse, intensifying its spread and damage. By the time firefighters arrived, much of the area had already been reduced to ashes.
Pa Mike, a respected elder and representative of the Igbo trading community, described the incident as both “ethnically and politically motivated.” He linked the fire to threats dating back to June 6, 2017, allegedly issued by the Coalition of Northern Groups, including the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, which had previously called for the expulsion of Igbos from Northern Nigeria.
“There have been recent attempts to revive those threats,” Pa Mike said. “We believe this fire is a direct result of such dangerous rhetoric. Mr. Adeleke’s decision to alert authorities led to some arrests, but the suspects were reportedly released soon after on higher orders.”
Known among locals as a man of peace, Adeleke has long promoted inter-ethnic unity. Attempts to reach him for comment were unsuccessful, as he was said to be overwhelmed by the incident.
Scenes at the site portrayed the scale of devastation: scorched bags of rice, charred remains of sugar, and melted containers of oil lay strewn across the compound. Distraught traders picked through the ashes in a desperate search for salvageable goods.
“I lost everything — goods worth millions of naira,” said Tobechi, a trader, visibly shaken. “But I thank God I’m still alive. Where there’s life, there’s hope.”
A night security guard, also speaking on condition of anonymity, said he noticed suspicious individuals lingering near the premises shortly before the fire started. He identified one of them only as “Jibrin,” but could not confirm his involvement.
Authorities have yet to release an official valuation of losses, though a local committee has been established to assess the financial damage suffered by the affected businesses.
In the aftermath, traders and community leaders are calling on the Kaduna State and federal governments to launch a full-scale investigation, bring perpetrators to justice, and provide financial support to those affected. They are also urging the government to increase protection for minority-owned businesses across Nigeria’s more volatile regions.
As of press time, no arrests have been confirmed in connection with the incident.