Fire Destroys 2,275 Onion Bags Worth N56.8 Million in Sokoto

A devastating fire outbreak in Kojiyo, Goronyo Local Government Area, Sokoto State, destroyed 2,275 bags of onions, resulting in an estimated loss of N56.8 million. The fire reportedly began around 2 PM on Friday and raged for nearly seven hours, although no lives were lost.

Aliyu Isah Maitasamu, from the Nigerian Onion Producers and Processors Market Association, confirmed the scale of the loss and noted that the destruction involved 65 traditional onion storage huts, with each bag valued at approximately N25,000. Farmers expressed their distress, with Alhaji Abdullahi S.

Rima losing 210 bags, Nura Arzika Magaji losing 70 bags, and Ashafa Muhammad losing 35 bags. The incident has raised concerns about the impact on local onion supply and the ability of farmers to recover in the next planting season.

Maitasamu called for urgent intervention from relief agencies, while the Sokoto State Emergency Management Agency has yet to officially acknowledge the incident.