The Kano State Government has inaugurated a 23-member high-powered committee to supervise the disbursement of N8 billion in financial aid and relief materials to victims of the Singa Market fire disaster.
The market suffered extensive damage after two separate fire incidents destroyed goods and properties, leaving many traders with heavy financial losses.
In response to the tragedy, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved N5 billion in cash support for affected traders. An additional N3 billion intervention came from the Progressives Governors Forum to cushion the impact of the disaster.
Earlier, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf and Deputy Senate President Barau I. Jibrin had jointly provided N200 million to assist victims.
Speaking during the inauguration on Tuesday, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Umar Faruq — represented by the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Abdulkarim Maude (SAN) — said the committee is tasked with ensuring fair and transparent distribution of the funds.
He noted that members were carefully selected from key sectors to guarantee credibility in executing the assignment. The committee will assess the extent of damage, determine losses incurred by traders, and develop a structured disbursement plan.
Beyond distributing relief funds, the committee is also mandated to review safety challenges in the market and recommend measures to prevent recurring fire outbreaks. Transparency, accountability, timely disbursement of palliatives, and sustained engagement with stakeholders and the media are part of its core responsibilities.
The committee comprises commissioners, representatives of the Kano State Emergency Management Agency, the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services, the Kano Emirate Council, religious leaders, and delegates of the affected traders.
Chairman of the Kano Traders Association, Alhaji Sabi’u Bako, who is also a committee member, commended Governor Yusuf for his swift intervention and structured relief framework. He also appreciated the Federal Government for dispatching a delegation to sympathize with victims.
Bako assured that the committee would carry out its duties with fairness and integrity, emphasizing that only genuinely affected traders would benefit from the intervention, even as the full extent of losses is still being assessed.
