The Sokoto State Emergency Management Agency has commenced preliminary assessment of the financial impact of Wednesday’s fire disaster at the Kara Yan Katako market.
The Director, Relief and Rehabilitation at SEMA, Mr Mustapha Umar, made this known while addressing journalists in Sokoto on Thursday.
Umar said the agency would initiate full-scale damage assessment on Friday to provide a more precise estimate of losses as well as mobilise support for affected traders.
He said the management of Kara market was unable to immediately determine the exact financial impact of the disaster.
Earlier, the Chairman of the market, Alhaji Rilwanu Bello, described the disaster as catastrophic, confirming significant losses.
Bello said that local emergency teams struggled to contain the fire.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the fire, which broke out around 2 a.m. on Wednesday, destroyed over 500 shops.
(PUNCH)