Vice President Kashim Shettima will lead a federal government delegation to Kano on Monday to express solidarity with victims of a destructive fire at Singer Market, President Bola Tinubu directed. The visit follows a blaze that engulfed the market over the weekend, reportedly destroying goods worth billions of naira.
The fire, which started Saturday evening and continued into Sunday morning, caused extensive damage to Nigeria’s largest food market. This marks the second fire at Singer Market in less than two weeks, raising urgent questions about safety and fire prevention in commercial centres. Along with conveying the president’s condolences, the delegation will pledge federal financial support and assist the Kano State Government in reopening the market promptly to resume economic activity.
The delegation includes Speaker of the House Tajudeen Abbas, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, Senator Kawu Ismaila, Representative Abubakar Kabir Bichi, Humanitarian Affairs Minister Dr. Bernard M. Doro, and NEMA Director-General Mrs Zubaida Umar. President Tinubu previously contacted Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf by phone to assess the damage and response efforts.
Citing the recurrence of the fire, President Tinubu described the incident as deeply troubling and ordered a comprehensive investigation to determine root causes and establish lasting preventive measures. Singer Market is a critical hub for thousands of traders and a major food supplier across the region. The repeated outbreaks have resulted in significant financial losses, intensifying demands for enhanced fire safety infrastructure and emergency response systems in markets nationwide. The federal response aims to address immediate needs while mandating a review of safety protocols to prevent future disasters.
