Fire gut Ika Ika Oqua market in Calabar, Cross River State
The timely intervention of operatives of the Federal Fire Service from Margaret Ekpo International Airport minimized the effect of the fire at the Ika Ika Oqua market popularly referred to as Marian market in Calabar, Cross River State.
The fire outbreak according to eyewitnesses and traders started in the wee hours of the morning around 2 am on Tuesday, August 30, 2022.
Speaking with the LENS Reporter a trader whose property and goods were destroyed in the inferno, Etim Ekong said the fire which started from an unquenched fire in a food vendor’s shop destroyed a section of the market due to the laxity of the Cross River State Fire along Mary Slessor Avenue who complained of lack of water and functional fire fighting trucks when called which warranted their reaching the council chairman and Mayor of Calabar Municipality Ndabu Orince Efiofiom Nta Eke who alerted the Federal Fire Service that responded and diminished the fire.
He called on Governor Ben Ayade to urge the National Emergency Management Agency ((NEMA) and State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to come to their aid and cushion the effects of the accident as they are impoverished occasioned by the complete destruction of their businesses and source of livelihoods.
He however pleaded that palliatives should be given to individual shop owners and traders who incurred losses and not to middlemen or agents who will not deliver to them thus leaving them to wallow in pains and suffer undue hardships.
Others called on the Mayor of Calabar Municipality to use his good office to interface with the state government and NEMA/SEMA in order to facilitate aid that would enable them to go back to business and be able to take care of their families especially now that schools are set to begin the 2022/2023 session.
It would be recalled that a mysterious fire had occurred and destroyed properties in the market on January 1st, 2018, July 3rd, 2020 as well as August 19th, 2020 but no respite from the government or its agencies has been given to the victims till date despite their appeals and pleas.
By: Archibong Emmanuel
(Snr. Reporter)
