A destructive fire incident has left 19 shops in ruins, consuming 1,900 bags of assorted grains at a market in Gombi, a prominent town located 123 kilometres north of the Adamawa state capital, Yola.

The Secretary of the affected grains market union, Mallam Umar Nyalli, spoke on the incident, revealing that an unknown smoker triggered the destructive fire by discarding a burning cigarette near a pile of waste materials close to the shops.

Nyalli expressed the devastating impact, stating, “The businesses of the 19 shop owners have been paralyzed. Nothing could be retrieved from their wares. We lost bags of maize, groundnuts, guinea corn, sesame seeds, beans, and tamarin fruits to the inferno.”

Nyalli appealed for assistance from governments at all levels and from public-spirited individuals.

The state deputy governor, Professor Kaletapwa George Farauta, commiserated with the affected traders, acknowledging the magnitude of the losses.

While expressing empathy, she urged the traders to believe that God would revamp their businesses and called on relevant authorities to enlighten citizens to shun improper handling of fire.