The Minister of State for Defence and former Governor of Zamfara State, Dr. Bello Mohammed Matawalle, on Saturday, 29 November 2025, visited Zamfara indigenous traders who lost their shops in the recent fire that swept through Panteka Market in Apo, Abuja.
The visit was confirmed in a statement issued by Ahmad Dan-Wudil, the Minister’s Special Assistant on Media.
The late-night inferno destroyed more than 400 shops, several residential rooms used by the traders, and millions of naira worth of goods.
The Chairman of Zamfara Indigenous Marketers in Panteka Market, Umar Sahabi Kaura-Namoda, described the visit as unprecedented, noting that no government official from Zamfara had ever shown such concern during similar crises.
According to him, “Over the past twenty years, Zamfara has had different leaders, but we have never witnessed this kind of compassion. No leader or senior official has come to comfort us. We are grateful for the Minister’s visit.”
Addressing the traders, Matawalle expressed sympathy for their losses and prayed for God’s protection against future occurrences.
He later donated ₦20 million to assist victims of the fire and provide immediate relief.
