Senator Barau Jibrin breaks down during visit to Singa Market, pledges modern firefighting facility as over 1,000 businesses are destroyed
The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, stood amid the charred remains of what was once a thriving commercial hub Sunday afternoon, his voice heavy with emotion as he addressed thousands of traders who had gathered at Kano's Singer Market.
Before him were men and women who had lost everything—lifetimes of savings, generations of enterprise, dreams for their children's education—all reduced to ash in a fire that had raged for nearly 24 hours.
"I watched a man my father's age break down and weep because his entire life's work is gone," Jibrin later told reporters. "What do you say to someone who has lost everything except that you stand with them?"
A Nation's Loss
The inferno, which began Saturday afternoon in the Gidan Gilas section of the market, destroyed goods and property estimated at over N5 billion, affecting more than 1,000 businesses . Seven persons were initially feared missing, though authorities have yet to confirm final casualty figures.
Jibrin, who visited the market Sunday alongside the Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Yusuf Abdullahi Ata, and members of the Kano State House of Assembly, announced a personal donation of N100 million to cushion the impact on affected traders .
"This fire outbreak and the enormous losses recorded have affected all of us. In fact, it affects the entire Kano people and the country at large," Jibrin said, his words greeted by murmurs of appreciation from the crowd. "Commerce is the mainstay of us in Kano, so we are deeply touched by this incident" .
A Devastating Pattern
Market Chairman Alhaji Junaidu Zakari, who received the senator alongside thousands of grieving traders, revealed that Singer Market had suffered two major fires in recent weeks—the latest compounding losses from an earlier outbreak that had already devastated sections of the sprawling food market .
"We are proud to have you in Kano," Zakari told Jibrin, visibly moved by the senator's presence. "We appreciate all the support you have been giving us. You have done a lot for us. Thank you very much" .
President Bola Tinubu has ordered a comprehensive investigation into the recurring fires, expressing alarm that the latest incident occurred less than two weeks after a similar blaze . The President has directed Vice President Kashim Shettima to lead a high-powered federal delegation to Kano, including the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, to convey condolences and facilitate federal support .
Beyond Relief: A Pledge for Prevention
Beyond the immediate financial relief, Jibrin pledged to facilitate the provision of a modern fire control facility at the market—a promise that drew particular resonance from traders who had watched helplessly as flames consumed their goods with no adequate firefighting equipment in sight .
Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, who visited the blazing market Saturday night, has urgently appealed to the federal government to provide modern firefighting equipment, including air support, to strengthen emergency response capacity .
"This intervention will go a long way in enhancing the operational capacity of our fire services and minimising the scale of destruction recorded during such unfortunate incidents," the governor said .
The Human Toll
For traders like Isa Abubakar, who lost goods valued at over N200 million, the promised support offers a glimmer of hope amid devastation. Another victim, Musa Ibrahim, watched helplessly as goods worth over N340 million turned to ash .
"It is heartbreaking to see goods worth billions of naira destroyed by fire," Abubakar lamented .
As federal and state authorities mobilize response efforts, the traders of Singer Market face the daunting task of rebuilding—not just shops and inventory, but lives upended by a disaster that has left an indelible scar on one of Nigeria's largest commercial hubs.
For the thousands who gathered Sunday to receive the Deputy Senate President, the visit offered a moment of recognition that their suffering had been seen. Whether it translates into lasting change—modern fire equipment, better access roads, enforceable safety standards—remains the question that will determine if Singer Market's next fire is its last.
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