The Borno government on Thursday approved N1 billion for the reconstruction of the Maiduguri Monday Market razed on Monday.

“I have also approved the sum of N1 billion for immediate disbursement to the victims for the upkeep of their families,’’ said Governor Babagana Zulum in Maiduguri while inaugurating a committee to assess the fire incident.

The governor was represented by the secretary to the state government, Usman Jidda-Shuwa.

“As a responsible and responsive government, we cannot fold our hands and let the situation be as it is. But rise up to our responsibilities and do the needful to salvage the situation for the betterment of our people,” stated Mr Zulum. “I’d been making frantic efforts in providing palliative to boost their resilience. In this connection, I made some commitments which include the constitution of this high-powered committee.”

Mr Zulum said the committee would appraise and determine the immediate and remote causes of the fire and the factors responsible for its wild, uncontrollable nature.

“They will also meticulously assess and ascertain whether or not there are specific individuals who may be directly or indirectly responsible for the incident and apportion blame appropriately,” the Borno governor stressed. “Thoroughly examine the magnitude of the fire and the extent of the damage caused to physical structures, assess and determine the type of and amount of relief assistance to the affected victims.”

He added that the committee would compile and determine the number of persons who suffered losses and the amount of property each trader lost to the fire disaster.

The governor said the committee would examine the original design of the market and determine alterations made to accommodate more traders and how that contributed to the uncontrollable nature of the fire.

It would also determine the extent to which commercial activities have been disrupted and suggest a suitable site for constructing another market.

The governor directed the committee to reconstruct and rehabilitate damaged structures in the market while the investigation continued.

(NAN)