The Police Command in Borno has arrested 50 suspects for alleged looting during the Maiduguri Monday market inferno.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Kamilu Shatambaya confirmed the arrest while parading the suspects on Wednesday in Maiduguri.
He said the suspects were arrested on Feb. 26 by operatives of the command deployed to protect lives and property sequel to the fire outbreak at the market.
He said the suspects looted properties belonging to the victims when fire fighters and security agencies were battling to extinguish the fire.
The spokesman said the command also arrested one, Sadiq Ibrahim, 20, for alledgedly setting ablaze a vehicle of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) team.
He said the suspects would be charged to court upon completion of investigation.
According to him, the Commissioner of Police, Mr Abdu Umar has commiserated with the state government and urged the victims to remain calm as government was doing everything possible to mitigate their sufferings.
NAN reports that some angry traders who started vandalising public property in protest against the slow response of firefighters on the day of the fire incident however pacified by Gov. Babagana Zulum and security agents.
The protesting traders had vandalised many vehicles, and attacked and injured people, including a female journalist working with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA).
Hundreds of the affected traders were seen struggling and collecting what remained of their property in the rubble, while some were watching helplessly as the fire continued to ravage more structures.
Ibrahim Babagana, one of the traders told NAN that the fire gutted the market from different angles, resulting to the destruction of many shops.
“This is my shop, I lost everything,” he said, pointing to his smouldering goods.
Bukar Goni, another trader who deals in fabrics, said he did not salvage anything in his two shops.
“I lost goods with over N150 million to the fire,” he added.
