MIDNIGHT INFERNO RAVAGES JOS MAIN MARKET, TRADERS LEFT DEVASTATED
By Opeyemi Olugbemi
JOS, Nigeria — A devastating midnight fire broke out at the Jos Main Market, also known as Terminus Market, in Plateau State, leaving hundreds of traders in distress as their goods and makeshift stalls were reduced to ashes.
The fire, which started late Tuesday night and raged into the early hours of Wednesday morning, consumed a section of the market where traders had resettled after being relocated from the roadside by the government last year. The affected area primarily housed vendors of second-hand clothing (popularly called Gwanjo or Okrika), shoes, and babywear, all stored in wooden and zinc structures.
As of press time, the cause of the fire remained unknown.
Traders who arrived at the scene overnight were seen making frantic efforts to salvage their wares. One of them, Misbau Kabara, said he rushed to the site around 2 a.m. to assist his stepmother, only to encounter gunfire.
“Some people came to loot, and there were gunshots… so we left when the gunshots were getting too much,” Mr. Kabara revealed via telephone. He confirmed that security operatives fired into the air to deter looters from taking advantage of the chaos.
This latest tragedy unfolds within the ruins of a market once regarded as West Africa’s largest indoor shopping center before it was gutted by fire in February 2001. Despite multiple government promises, efforts to reconstruct the market have stalled, leaving traders to operate in makeshift conditions. Many stalls were later vandalized before the market was sealed by authorities.
Amid the despair, concerns about possible arson have begun to circulate. At least two traders interviewed expressed suspicion over the timing and nature of the incident, with one alleging that the fire may have been orchestrated though no evidence has emerged to substantiate the claim.
The incident comes against the backdrop of Plateau State’s fragile security climate. Although Jos town has experienced relative calm in recent years, other parts of the state continue to reel from ethnic and religious violence. On Christmas Eve 2023, coordinated attacks in Bokkos, Mangu, and Barkin Ladi LGAs claimed over 200 lives. Just weeks ago, more than 100 people were killed in renewed violence in Bokkos and Bassa LGAs.
Authorities are yet to issue an official statement on the Jos market fire.
