Fire destroys thousands of onion bags in Sokoto community
A major fire has destroyed thousands of bags of onions in the Kojiyo community, Goronyo Local Government Area of Sokoto State. The incident has left local farmers facing significant financial losses and uncertainty about their future. Aliyu Maitasamu, National President of the Nigerian Onion Producers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria, confirmed the scale of the damage. Several affected farmers described the incident as catastrophic and called for urgent assistance.
What happened
- The fire destroyed at least 2,275 bags of onions stored in about 65 traditional huts, with losses estimated at N56.8 million.
- Aliyu Maitasamu stated that the association had warned farmers about fire risks due to storage structures made from dry grass and stalks.
- Farmers like Alhaji Abdullahi Rima, Nura Magaji, and Ashafa Muhammad shared their personal losses, with some losing all their stored onions.
- The village head, Muhammadu Sarkin Rima, said many households now have nothing to eat and appealed for urgent intervention.
- Authorities such as the Sokoto State Emergency Management Agency and the National Emergency Management Agency have been urged to support the affected farmers.
