Labour Party Donates ₦2 Million to Sokoto Market Fire Victims

The Sokoto State chapter of the Labour Party has donated two million naira to traders affected by a recent fire that destroyed sections of the historic Old Market in Sokoto.

A delegation led by the State Chairman, Abubakar Yawale, and party leader Chief Ifeanyi Ezeagu visited the market on Friday to assess the damage and offer support to affected business owners.

Yawale described the gesture as an act of solidarity with residents whose livelihoods were suddenly disrupted. “We came to stand with our people,” he stated, while also calling on the government to modernize the state’s firefighting equipment and training to better handle such emergencies.

The fire, which broke out in the early hours of Sunday, ravaged dozens of shops and caused losses estimated by traders to be worth hundreds of millions of naira. Goods destroyed included clothing, household items, and electronics. Preliminary investigations suggest the blaze may have been caused by an electrical fault.

Chief Ifeanyi Ezeagu, who has business interests in the state, expressed sympathy for the traders and emphasized the importance of markets to local economies. “Markets are the heart of our communities. When traders suffer, everyone feels it,” he said.

The traders’ association chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Gishiri, thanked the party for the timely donation, which he said boosted the morale of those recovering from the loss.

Market fires have occurred repeatedly in Sokoto and other parts of northwest Nigeria in recent years, raising concerns about electrical safety, market planning, and emergency response capacity. Many affected traders are now seeking support to rebuild their businesses.