Traders and other users of Kaa Market in Khana Local
Government Area of Rivers State, which serves the people of Andoni and Khana
are still counting their losses following the mysterious fire that ravaged the
commercial hub at the weekend, destroying properties worth millions of Naira.

When The Tide visited the market, some of the affected
traders were moving in the midst of the rubbles of the once thriving market,
counting their losses. Speaking with our correspondent, the chairman of the
market, Comrade Owen Legbara, said the fire came as a surprise to everybody, as
no one least expected it, and that resulted in the total destruction of the
market.

He said the situation was worsened by the absence of a fire
service station in the market, as efforts to get the state fire service to the
rescue was abortive due to the distance.

Commenting on the issue, the CDC chairman of Kaa Community,
Mr Nwiku Jonathan, said the community was yet to ascertain the real cause of
the fire which has crippled business activities following the total devastation
of the market.

The CDC chairman said that the inferno became intense due to
the improvised nature of the market and urged the Niger Delta Development
Commission (NDDC) to fast track the on-going building of the Permanent Site of
the market for the traders to move in.

He appealed to the Rivers State Government and other
concerned agencies to assist in the rehabilitation of the victims of the fire
who depended on the market for their daily living.

One of the victims, Mr Gabriel Nwidag, a native of Kaa
Community who deals on clothing, said four of his shops stocked with wares were
gutted by the fire and appealed to concerned authorities to come to the aid of
the traders.

Another victim from Andoni, Mrs Charity Obot, said she lost
all her wares worth millions of Naira to the fire, and hoodlums who took
advantage of the incidence to loot the market. Speaking at the scene of the
inferno, the vice chairman of Andoni Local Government, Hon Sampson Egop,
lamented the effect of the fire, which he said had left many people stranded.
He assured that the two LGAs will intervene into the mater to revive commercial
activities in the area.

Sources, however, attributed the fire to bunkering
activities and sale of petroleum products within the market.

Taneh Beemene