Former Vice President and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Atiku Abubakar, has expressed sadness at the fire that engulfed the popular Yola Central Market, in Yola, Adamawa State.
In a press statement released in Abuja through his media office, the former Vice President said the fire incident is one too many and called on the authorities in charge of public places like markets, schools and factories to be extra vigilant at this period of the year.
The Turaki Adamawa said that fire incidents during this period of harmattan can be quite devastating in its impact because of the prevalence of the dry trade wind blowing from the North east part of the country and which tends to lend a helping hand to otherwise containable fire outbreak to get out of hand.
The APC chieftain recalled that valuable property running into millions and at times human lives have been lost to devastating fires in many parts of the country of recent. He called on the management of the Yola Central Market and other markets and places of business susceptible to fire outbreaks to work out ways and means of reducing fire outbreaks to the barest minimum.
Atiku Abubakar also challenged the various fire services in the country to improve on their readiness to deal with fire outbreaks to reduce losses and the trauma usually caused the victims.