Former Anambra State Governor and Labour Party’s 2023 presidential flagbearer, Mr. Peter Obi, has visited the scenes of two devastating infernos that recently ravaged commercial facilities in Onitsha, expressing solidarity with affected traders and calling for widespread support.
The high-profile visits targeted the Electronics Market Plaza on Iweka Road and a warehouse at Ifejirika Street in Main Market, both locations of recent catastrophic fire outbreaks that resulted in massive financial losses to the business community.
According to sources familiar with the incidents, the warehouse blaze erupted around 5:45am on Friday and raged for several hours before firefighters from the Anambra State Fire Service successfully contained the situation. In a separate incident, the Electronics Market Plaza suffered extensive damage during a Tuesday night fire that destroyed merchandise valued at millions of naira.
During his assessment tour, the former governor held private consultations with market leadership and severely affected traders, expressing profound concern over the economic impact of the disasters.
“This is a huge loss to the victims,” Obi remarked during the visit. “I pledged to support the victims in my own modest way, and I also called on the government at all levels, individuals and financial institutions to step in and offer assistance to the affected traders.”
The former governor emphasized the importance of collective action in addressing the aftermath of the disasters. “In moments like this, our shared humanity must prevail. Let us come together to restore hope, rebuild livelihoods, and reaffirm the spirit of community that defines us,” he urged.
Mr. Obi also commended the valiant efforts of the Anambra State Fire Service in preventing further spread of the fires despite facing significant operational challenges.
One of the affected businessmen at Iweka Road, Mr. Jeremiah Nwabueze, expressed appreciation for Obi’s visit, describing it as “deeply consoling” and noting that the former governor’s presence had brought comfort and a sense of solidarity to the distressed traders.
The twin fires represent the latest in a series of market fire incidents that have periodically affected commercial activities in the bustling trading hub of Onitsha, highlighting persistent concerns about fire safety infrastructure in the state’s markets.
