Governor of Sokoto State, Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto, has ordered the immediate clearing of a dump site in the Sokoto Central Market.
The governor’s directive follows Monday’s fire outbreak at the market, which razed 180 shops in the motorcycle and other sections of the market.
Some traders at the market had alleged that the fire to came from the garbage dumpsite close to the motorcycle section.
In a post on his Facebook page, the governor decried the reluctance of the market management to guide him to the garbage area when he visited the market, following which he decided to investigate the situation and learned that a section of the market had been converted to a dump site.
“I was at the Sokoto State Central Market earlier, where a fire incident broke out on Monday morning, resulting in the destruction of over one hundred and eighty stalls.
“To my surprise, there was some reluctance in guiding me to the garbage area. However, upon hearing people mention it, I took the initiative to investigate the situation myself. It is indeed disheartening that a section of the market has been transformed into a dumping site,” he said.
Governor Sokoto said he rebuffed attempts by the commissioner for lands and housing to defend the market leaders, because “this issue concerns all of us, I wish to emphasize that the presence of the garbage did not occur spontaneously, the business community also bears responsibility.”
He further stated that he had given a three-week ultimatum for the garbage to be cleared, failing which that specific area of the market will face closure.
“The accumulation of such waste can pose risks to the community and may even be linked to the fire outbreak. We are resolute in our stance against any actions that jeopardize the safety of our people. Maintaining cleanliness in our surroundings is undeniably a fundamental aspect of our beliefs,” the governor added.