President Buhari visits, commiserates with Bauchi people over windstorm, fire disasters

By Ahmed Kaigama

President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday commiserated with the people of Bauchi State over the incidents that occurred in Bauchi and Azare.

Speaking at the Palace of the Emir of Bauchi when he paid him a condolence visit, Buhari urged those affected not to lose faith but consider the incidences as an act of God.

The president, who spoke briefly, prayed to God for the repose of the souls of those who lost their lives.

Earlier in his remarks, the Emir of Bauchi, Alhaji Rilwanu Adamu, had described the windstorm that occurred in Bauchi and the fire incident in Azare, as tragedies of enormous magnitude.

He thanked the president for squeezing time out of his very tight schedule to personally commiserate with the people of the state, adding that the gesture is a demonstration of his love for the state.

Also in his remarks, Gov. Mohammed Abubakar of Bauchi, thanked the President for his concern.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that upon landing at the Bauchi Aiport at about 9 a.m, the president headed straight to Azare town to sympathise with the people over a market fire disaster that destroyed no fewer than 700 shops.

While in Azare, Buhari paid sympathy visits to the paramount ruler, Alhaji Umar Faruk, and the Azare Central Market, scene of the disaster.

NAN reports that the Bauchi windstorm occurred on Saturday, while the Azare fire incident happened the next day.

As at the time of the visit of the president, both the Nigerian Red Cross and the State Emergency Agency were still collating facts on lives lost and properties destroyed.