Windstorm and market fire in Bauchi
Two major disasters, only hours apart, afflicted Bauchi State early last week. The first occurred on Saturday afternoon, June 16 when a strong windstorm, immediately followed by a heavy downpour, swept through the state capital, Bauchi. The windstorm and downpour which started at 5p.m. and lasted for two hours, killed the two persons in Tirwum […]
Two major disasters, only hours apart, afflicted Bauchi State early last week. The first occurred on Saturday afternoon, June 16 when a strong windstorm, immediately followed by a heavy downpour, swept through the state capital, Bauchi. The windstorm and downpour which started at 5p.m. and lasted for two hours, killed the two persons in Tirwum area of Bauchi metropolis. One of the victims was hit by a tree while the other died when a building collapsed on him.
Daily Trust’s reporter in Bauchi said the fence of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium and transmission facilities of Daar Communications were destroyed by the windstorm. Other areas affected were Federal Low Cost Housing Estate, Yelwa Kagadama, Yakubu Wanka, Kobi and Fadamada. Miri, Bauchi State Television, Abubakar Tatari Ali Polytechnic, Kobi, Railway road, Tirwun and Bakin Kura in Bauchi Metropolis were also affected. Governor Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar inspected the affected areas the next day and called on communities to regard the incident as an act of God. He said his administration would do its best to assist those affected.
That same day, Sunday, June 17, fire destroyed the main market in Azare, Katagum Local Government Area. Property worth millions of naira was lost. The fire reportedly started around 11 pm Sunday and continued until Monday morning. Over 500 shops were reportedly burnt. Information Officer of Katagum LGA Aminu Azare said the fire started from one of the shops in the market, allegedly due to an electricity surge. He said it soon spread to other shops and despite concerted efforts by men of the State Fire Service from Misau and neighbouring towns, it could not be controlled. Governor Mohammed Abubakar also visited the town to commiserate with the traders, the Emir of Katagum and the people of the emirate. He again said his administration will do everything to assist the victims and promised to forward their plight to the federal government.
President Muhammadu Buhari reacted to the twin disasters by sending a high-powered Federal Government delegation led by Minister of Education Malam Adamu Adamu to visit Bauchi and commiserate with the government and people of the state. On Thursday last week however, when he apparently got a full report on the disaster, the president personally paid a sympathy visit to Bauchi State. Buhari, who arrived the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa International Airport, Bauchi around 9.30am immediately proceeded to Azare town, about 200 kilometres north of the state capital, to commiserate with the people over the fire incident that ravaged the central market. He then returned to Bauchi and also sympathized with the people and government before he returned to Abuja.
From the reports received as well as video footage of the windstorm, the people of Bauchi had experienced a once in a lifetime disastrous event. Even elderly persons in the state said they had never seen a wind or rainstorm with the ferocity of this recent one. While the whole world is increasingly in danger of the occurrence of such disastrous weather events due to global climate changes, it could also be that the episode in Bauchi was a freak weather occurrence. Still, we must do what we can to mitigate the impact of windstorms, and the quickest way is to step up the planting of trees and shelterbelts. Trees break the force of winds but of course if they are isolated, they too could be uprooted by winds and could then fall on houses and cause more havoc.
Fire disasters in markets, such as the one Azare experienced, are unfortunately more common in northern Nigeria in recent decades. Many of them are attributed to electricity surges. This likelihood is compounded by the haphazard wiring system in our homes and markets. Still, other factors should not be ruled out until the police and fire service conduct a full investigation. We commiserate with the people of Bauchi State and we urge them to take heart and try to rebuild their lives.