Tragedy as fire razes 2,275 onion bags worth N56.8m in Sokoto village

Tragedy as fire razes 2,275 onion bags worth N56.8m in Sokoto village

From Bashir Rabe Mani in Sokoto

Tragedy struck as an inferno razed no fewer than 2,275 bags of onions in Kojiyo village of Goronyo Local Government Area of Sokoto State, leaving farmers with losses estimated at about ₦56.8 million.

The incident, which affected about 65 traditional onion storage huts, had thrown the community into distress.

The ill-fated residents said there was no casualty, but the fire started around 2pm on Friday and lasted for about seven hours, leaving villagers in mourning due to the heavy losses recorded.

The National President of the Nigerian Onion Producers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria (NOPPMAN), Aliyu Isah Maitasamu, said each of the huts contained about 35 bags of onions.

According to him, a total of 2,275 bags were destroyed and, at an estimated price of ₦25,000 per bag in the village, the value stands at about ₦56.8 million.

Maitasamu said the association had repeatedly warned farmers to avoid activities that could trigger fire outbreaks around onion storage facilities, especially given that the structures are made of dry grass and stalks.

He said the cause of the fire had yet to be ascertained, adding, “we are still investigating to determine the cause of the fire,” he said.

He, however, dismissed fears of a possible hike in onion prices, noting that the quantity lost was not significant enough to affect the market.

“I don’t think this will lead to an increase in onion prices because the quantity is not enough to cause that,” the President added.

Some of the affected farmers said the incident had wiped out their means of livelihood.

One of the victims, Alhaji Abdullahi S. Rima, who lost about 210 bags, said the fire destroyed his entire stock.

“It is a huge loss for me. Everything I stored in the place has been burnt,” Rima said.

Another farmer, Nura Arzika Magaji, who lost 70 bags, said he depended on the produce for his daily needs.

“We usually sell gradually to take care of our families, but now everything is gone. We currently don’t have what to eat,” he said.

A third victim, Ashafa Muhammad, said he lost 35 bags in the incident.

“We are in mourning because it destroyed everything we relied on. We believe it is the will of Allah,” he said.

A security guard at the facility, Abubakar Maigadi, said he was sleeping when the fire started.

“I woke up to the sound of the fire. I don’t know what caused it. I also lost my clothes and other valuables in my hut,” he said.

The village head of Kojiyo, Muhammadu Sani Sarkin Rima, said the incident had affected many households.

“Some families now have nothing to eat because what they depended on has been destroyed. Each hut contained between 35 and 38 bags of onions.

He called on the government and relevant agencies to assist the affected residents.

Meanwhile, Maitasamu appealed to the government, as well as agencies such as the Sokoto State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), to support the victims with relief materials and farm inputs.

“We are appealing to the government and intervention agencies to assist these farmers so they can return to farming in the next season,” he said.

The Public Relations Officer of SEMA, Abdullahi Ghani, said the agency was not yet aware of the incident but would act once it receives official communication.

“We are not aware, but if there is any report from the local government, SEMA will carry out an assessment,” he said.

The residents expressed concern that the incident could affect onion supply in the area if farmers are unable to recover in time.

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