Ogoja, Cross River – A devastating fire has engulf the Ogoja Central Market in Ishibori, destroying goods and properties worth millions of Naira.
Converseer gathered that incident happened on Tuesday, January 7, 2025, barely 48 hours after a similar inferno ravaged the Ogoja Division of the Cross River State High Court.
Eyewitness accounts revealed that the fire broke out around 8:45 pm. Despite the urgency of the situation, the Cross River State Fire Service was absent at the scene, leaving the inferno unchecked as traders and residents watched helplessly.
Investigations revealed that the Fire Service Office in Ogoja is in a state of shamble, with no functional service vehicles to respond to emergencies.
Sources disclosed that the office structure lacks a roof, compelling officers to operate under trees, further hampering their ability to carry out their duties effectively.
This marks the second significant fire outbreak in the Ogoja metropolis within the first week of 2025.
On Sunday, January 5, the Cross River High Court building in Ogoja was severely damaged by another fire incident, raising concerns over the state’s preparedness to tackle fire emergencies.
As at the time of filing this report, the cause of the market fire remains unknown.
The recent events have heightened calls for urgent government intervention to address the deplorable state of firefighting infrastructure in Ogoja and its environs.