A fire outbreak at the Kugbo Furniture Market along the Abuja-Keffi Expressway on Friday, October 2, destroyed 21 shops and one vehicle, according to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). No deaths were recorded in the incident.
NEMA said its Abuja Operations Office received a distress call at about 11:15 a.m. and immediately mobilised the Federal Fire Service and other emergency responders. Firefighters contained the blaze and prevented it from spreading to adjoining shops, with operations ending at about 1:40 p.m.
Some valuables were recovered from the affected shops during the emergency operation. The Chairman of the Kugbo Wood Machinist Association, Godswill Ndukwe, said traders estimated their losses at more than ₦500 million, while appealing to the authorities to address recurring fire incidents at the market.
The exact cause of the fire has not been officially established. An eyewitness attributed the outbreak to an electrical spark following power restoration, but this account has not been independently confirmed by emergency authorities.