At least 200 shops were razed by fire on Monday night at the Ikom main market in the Ikom Local Government Area of Cross River.
Chika Anya, chairman of the Lagos line of the market, said the intensity of the inferno was such that nothing could be salvaged from the affected shops.
He said the fire incident has been a recurring issue in the market almost yearly and alleged that, as with previous cases, the state fire service could not provide much support.
“All we want now is support from the government to enable us to get our lives back.
“The government should also do the needful by having a functional fire service in Ikom and other council areas of the state,” Mr Anya told journalists.
One affected shop owner, Augustine Eze, said it was difficult to ascertain the cause of the fire as there was no electricity “and nobody is allowed to pass the night in the market.”
“This is not the first time we have had a fire issue in the market, and there has always been no assistance to quench the fire since the state fire service lacks the equipment to fight one here,” Mr Eze claimed.
Meanwhile, Peter Okorebi, the state director of fire service, said they would investigate the cause of the fire and take preventive measures.
Mr Okorebi, however, said the shop owners have long formed the habit of cooking in the shops despite repeated warnings by the fire service.
“Our safety officers have repeatedly advised them against this trend, but they simply won’t listen,” he added.
The director debunked the claims that the fire service lacked the necessary facilities to contain fire outbreaks in the area.
(NAN)