By Sam Kayode
Reporter Pauline Vana of the Nigerian television Authority {NTA) still recuperating from bestial treatment she received from an irate mob in the Maiduguri “Monday Market” recently has said that she was almost lynched while carrying out her constitutional duties as a journalist.
The assault started when she tried to give a live coverage of the tragedy that befell traders in the multi billion naira market in the city centre when an angry mob spotted and chased her for daring to film and report the incident.
When this reporter visited her in her home after her release from the hospital, she said that it was by the grace of God Almighty that she escaped being lynched by the irate mob which was angry that she dared to get close to the scene to record the tragedy.
Hear her: “I actually told my camera man to follow me gradually to see how much details we could dig from within the market vicinity when the mob saw us and started chasing desperately. Both of us had to run away for our lives while the mob caught up with me raining slaps and blows until I fell down crying for help.
“When I fell down, they threw the tyre they intended to use at me but instead of hitting my head, it went for my back and i fell down on the weight of the tyre, The assault was so intense that I had to summon courage to get up again and run.
” It was at that moment the soldiers came to my rescue led by the General Officer Commanding (GOC), himself Major General Waidi Shaibu who God used as my saving grace. His appearance slowed the mob down and I was saved from being lynched like an armed robber for doing my job.
“The GOC took me in his car and drove straight to the military hospital in Maimalari Barracks. I lost consciousness in his car during the ride to the hospital, I was told he ordered the hospital staff on the phone to stand by with a ventilator to assist my breathing even as they took me in for admission.
“It was after some hours that i gained my consciousness in the Marmalari Hospital and was released to go home after thorough examinations by the doctors.” Said Pauline to this reporter.
The mob had to retreat obviously because they could not pelt the soldiers the way they did to the Governor Babagana Zulum who came in early in the morning on hearing the disastrous news that the famous pride of commercial activities in Maiduguri had gone up in flames in the same mysterious way the Jos terminus market went up in flames over 20years ago.
Although these young people that chased the reporter and the cameraman were not insurgents armed with rifles, this reporter learnt that most of them were dependents of the over 10,000 traders that eked their living from the market while some of them were mere urchins who benefitted from the sidelines selling all manner of stuffs that benefited the traders in a symbiotic manner.
Reactions from the Borno State Council of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ)
In a swift reaction to the tragedy, the Borno State Council of the NUJ have commiserated with the government and people of the state over the sad fire incident which caused the livelihood of millions of dependents who rely on it for commercial activities.
The Statement signed by Comrade Aliyu Chiroma noted that: “The Chairman Nigeria Union of Journalists Borno State Council Comrade Dauda Iliya on behalf of the entire working journalists in the state, commiserated with the Government and people of the state over the unfortunate fire disaster at Monday Market.
” The Council also deeply sympathizes with victims of the inferno that led to the loss of property worth billions of naira belonging to hundreds of traders and destruction of the entire market premises, urging all those affected to take it as an act of the Almighty Allah and jointly continue to offer prayers against the re-occurrence of such calamity in the future.
” While commending the state Governor for the emergency relief of 1 billion naira, NUJ is calling on the federal government and its agencies like the North East Development Commission, National and International relief agencies and philanthropic organizations to immediately come to the aid of the victims.
“Comrade Dauda Iliya equally condemned in strong terms the attack on one of its member and secretary Nigeria Association of Women Journalists and her cameraman by hoodlums while carrying out their constitutionally assigned duty.
” Journalists at all times should not be target of attacks as the society needs to be adequately informed on happenings around them particularly during emergencies, crisis and pandemics.
” The union also commended the swift response by the military and rushing her to a medical facility for emergency medical care.”
Reactions from the traders in the market
A sample from within the Maiduguri metropolis indicates that a lot of anger has been generated over the tragedy of the market with a yearly turn over of billions of naira which is why some stakeholders are speculating that arsonists may have been responsible for it.
A particular elderly man who eye witnesses could not identify was said to have run down to the scene barefooted from his sleep before first light hearing the damnation that had befallen his shop and seeing that he could not head toward his store where his gold and other precious stones were kept only shouted aloud and fell down on the tarred road where a large crowd were already present watching the inferno.
Some eye witnesses tried to revive him from the collapse but couldn’t because he had obviously died from heart attack seeing that all his life’s worth millions in dollars and CFA currency had gone up in flames.
Several other quiet billionaires who involved in bureau exchange businesses were however saved because most of the currencies they used to store in the massive building had been shipped into the Central Bank close by.
A particular “hide and skin” dealer who preferred anonymity told this reporter that he used to keep some of his cash in the massive complex like others who lost foreign currencies like dollars but had shipped N900m into the Central bank of Nigeria (CBN) to avoid being in the entrapment of keeping old naira notes after the expiration date issued by the federal government.
Most of the bureau de change traders who did dual businesses within the market complex however had huge investments which had gone up in flames and are yet to get over the shock of the incident.
Some of the banks with branches close to the market to tap the billion naira annual turn over from the traders like the United Bank of Africa (UBA) exchaped the inferno but five others built right inside the market complex were razed down completely and staff now operate from main branches pending renovations.
Conspiracy theories over the cause of the inferno
Until the committee set up by government to unravel the reasons for the fire starts work, a lot of reasons have been adduced for the unfortunate inferno.
The first one in the mills is that there may have been an explosive solar mishap in one of the shops which started gradually until the fire came in contact with highly combustible items which aggravated it further.
And this is why some sources who spoke with this reporter noted that some of them have massive solar facilities in the market due to about two years of lack of steady electricity supplies to Maiduguri.
Reasons they propounded to support their suspicion is that the fire was seen as early as about 1am coming from that direction.
Following that line of thought, an expert in town planning activities have advocated that “putting everyone under one roof was no longer fashionable in this century adding that this is the second time fire destruction of this magnitude is befallen the Monday market aside from other smaller fires which were promptly put off by the fire service.
” Because these kinds of fires cannot easily be put out during the dry season when temperatures are as high even during the nights, I want to suggest that there should be Monday market phase 2 not far from the state University community and phase 3 which can be located in massive expanse of lands not far from 7division with massive car parks and a fire service where people with combustible items like electronics or even black market petrol would be shipped to and sold.
“There is no reason why clothes and tomato sellers should be placed under the same roof. In meeting the challenges of the next 50 years, maiduguri must have its own grain market separately from plastic sellers for instance because plastic is very combustible and is the number one target whenever there is an inferno anywhere in the savanna.
Another stake holder and Borno elder close to the Palace of the Shehu of Borno also on anonymity told this reporter that the security guards of one of the banks saw some people in the wee hours of the night who came to the market with a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) and sprayed the arena with some suspected combustible chemicals.
“The suspects are alleged to have touched that section around the five banks entered their vehicles in a commando style and drove away with 3 black vehicles and the rest is what we witnessed one week ago when the fire spread for almost three hours before the fire service people appeared at the scene. They were obviously sent to do the job because they hurriedly left after.
” But we shall await the outcome of the committee set up by his excellency to work with the intelligence services in the state to unravel the mystery behind it all”.
Zulum sets up committee to unravel mystery fire
Sequel to the tragedy, Borno Governor, Babagana Zulum has however set up a committee to investigate the remote and immediate cause of the inferno which a third group of stakeholders discussing with this reporter believe must have happened through the opposition some of who were involved in pelting the Governor shockingly when he rushed to the scene.
The committee was set up to handle all issues connected with the burnt market based on the medium and long terms of reference which includes compiling a comprehensive list of those affected, disbursing the 1 billion naira released by the Governor to serve as palliatives to the traders, including donations coming in from other sources, clear the debris of the burnt market and begin rebuilding and rehabilitation works.
The committee headed by Engr. Zarami Dingus has over 80 members, majority being representatives of the 60 pillars in the market, the traders association, political leadership, intelligence services, Justice ministry etc has the General Manager of the Monday market Barrister Mustapha Loskuri as the secretary.
Going by the plan of Zulum, the market is going to be speedily reconstructed with 500 million naira already released to the committee for that exercise to be completed in 6 months.
Going forward also, the government plans to build 2 to 3 new markets in other parts of the city to decongest the Monday market which hosts more than 10,000 people engaging in commercial activities within a week.
As for the second largest town in the state which is Bama, the new, ultra modern Bama road garage and market has been commissioned.
Hopes rekindled as reconstruction will start soon as the political class donate billions to the structure.
The reconstruction of Maiduguri Monday market which was razed down last sunday will begin soon as has been announced by Professor Babagana Zulum.
Zulum made this known last week when he received a group of prominent Borno citizens living in Abuja who came to Maiduguri led by Ambassador Babagana Kingibe on a sympathy visit.
Maiduguri Monday market, was rebuilt over 40 years ago by the late Governor Goni who gave it its modern look in the city centre.
It was said to be the largest in the northeast sub-region, bringing together thousands of buyers and sellers with annual turn overs of billions of naira by traders coming from West and Central Africa to buy lots of agro and non food items.
“We are constituting a committee that will coordinate all matters relating to the Monday market inferno. Most importantly, the committee will look into the possibility of rehabilitating the stalls at the market. Insha Allah, and the work will commence soon.
“While we are waiting for support from the federal government, Borno State Government will not completely fold its arms waiting. We e have to start somewhere”, Zulum said.
Governor Zulum expressed gratitude to the delegation which comprised the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kolo Kyari, Chairman of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Mutawali Kashim Ibrahim Imam among other Borno indigenes.
Speaking earlier, leader of the delegation, elder statesman, Ambassador Babagana Kingibe, commiserated with the traders affected by the fire disaster.
He also commended the steps taken by Governor Babagana towards cushioning the hardship faced by the affected traders.
“We appreciate the quick reaction of Your Excellency (Governor Zulum). We understand that you were out of town when the incident happened but on arrival, you went direct to the scene of the incident. You made a very inspiring broadcast and you immediately set up a committee to assess the tragedy and approved one billion Naira”, Amb. Kingibe said.
“Your Excellency, myself and Alh. Kashim Imam left Maiduguri just yesterday, we have planned for quite a number of us, sons and daughters of Borno to come in a delegation to commiserate with the people of Borno through Your Excellency over this tragic incident that overtook Maiduguri market three days ago”, Kingibe noted.
“The livelihood in Maiduguri revolves around the Monday market and indeed the other markets. Monday market, Maiduguri, is not just any old market, it is an old and historic market. We grief deeply over this tragic event” the elder statesman added.
To support the rebuilding of, the market, Chairman of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Kashim Imam, on Monday announced a personal donation of N100 million to the victims of the Maiduguri market disaster.
“The leader of the delegation, Ambassador Babagana Kingibe has spoken on behalf of all of us, I also wish to join in commiserating with all those that were badly affected by this very sad incident. I also want to say that we share in their pains. I want to appeal to all indigenes of Borno, especially those that are in a position to assist the victims to immediately come to their aid. I wish to end my very brief comment by committing the sum of N100m”, Imam declared’