A midnight fire has destroyed at least five shops in the Felele area of Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, leaving traders counting their losses....
A midnight fire has destroyed at least five shops in the Felele area of Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, leaving traders counting their losses.
The fire broke out at about 1 a.m., destroying electronic appliances, solar panels, refrigerators, grinding machines and other goods worth millions of naira.
One of the affected traders, Abdurafiu Hassan, said he rushed to the scene after receiving a distress call from his wife.
Residents suspect a power surge may have caused the fire, although the exact cause has yet to be established.
They also said the lack of firefighting equipment made it difficult to contain the blaze.
No deaths were reported, but the affected traders have appealed to the Kogi State Government for assistance to rebuild their businesses.
Residents have also called for better emergency response services to help prevent similar incidents in the future.