Kano fire: Shettima leads FG delegation to Kano

In a swift response to the fire disaster that ravaged Kano’s Singer Market over the weekend, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has dispatched a high-powered federal delegation, led by Vice President Kashim Shettima, to provide immediate support and financial relief to the victims.

The delegation, scheduled to depart for Kano on Monday, underscores the Federal Government's concern over the massive economic losses in what is regarded as Nigeria’s largest food commodity hub.

The Vice President will be joined by the leadership of the National Assembly, including the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, and Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin.

Also on the team are the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Dr. Bernard M. Doro, and the Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mrs. Zubaida Umar.

The mission is tasked with conveying the President’s personal condolences and announcing a financial assistance package designed to help traders recover and facilitate the rapid reopening of the market.

The disaster has raised significant alarms within the Presidency, primarily because this weekend's inferno which raged from Saturday evening through Sunday morning marks the second devastating outbreak at the same location in just fourteen days.

President Tinubu, who held a telephone briefing with Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, expressed deep distress over the recurrent nature of these fires.

The President also ordered a comprehensive investigation to determine if the frequent outbreaks are the result of infrastructural negligence, safety violations, or other underlying causes that continue to push local traders into financial despair.

The visit is expected to serve as a preliminary assessment for NEMA and the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to coordinate long-term reconstruction and safety upgrades for the market.