BY CHINENYEH OZOR
Nsukka—Timber dealers at Nsukka Timber Market have lamented collosal loss during last week's fire incident which gutted the market and urged federal and Enugu State governments to come to their aid. The traders said they lost over N320million during the fire incident.
Speaking in an interview with Vanguard, Chairman, Nsukka Timber Dealers Association, Mr. Christopher Agbo said the fire ravaged the saw mill section of the market, noting that wood and other equipment worth about N400 million were lost.
Agbo further said this was not the first time fire had gutted the market, adding the damage this time around was too much to bear.
''We have recorded frequent fire outbreaks here but the extent of last week's inferno was too much. Because of our mills that were destroyed, we now have to travel to other markets in Orba and Obollo Afor in Udenu Local Government Area which are long distances,'' he said.
He added that although he was not apportioning blame on any person, saying two electric saw mill machines valued over N15million and two manual machines valued about N8million, and other items were destroyed.
together with woods, generators among others were lost to the fire incident.
He also said that the fire incident has thrown timber dealers into perpetual hardship and appealed to both States and Federal Governments to come to their aid, noting that four major victims of the inferno whose shops were wrecked beyond recognition have no hiding place outside the saw mill business at the timber market.
He debunked the rumour making round the university town that the timber market was set ablaze by an alleged Boko Haram Sect, explaining that Northern Night Guards have worked for the union for about eight years now and relates well with them.
He praised the efforts of the executive chairman of Nsukka Local Government Council Barr. Tony Ugwu who intervened immediately he was contacted to get the fire fighting men and water tankers who brought the fire to a halt, saying that his intervention saved the timber market that would have been reduced to ashes.
Mr. Agbo said that the association had made a formal report to police but pointed out that no arrest has been made in respect of the fire incident.
Vanguard Nigeria