Lagos — COMMERCIAL activities have been paralysed in some parts of Kano as fire razes the famous Kantin Kwari Textile Market. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the inferno which started in the early hours of Friday, began from one of the biggest buildings in the market popularly called "Gidan Labaran."

Hundreds of stores stockpiled with textile goods worth millions of naira, have been consumed by the fire, which was still raging at the time of filing this report. The fire is further being aggravated by highly inflammable textile goods and wooden stalls which dot the market, making it difficult to be controlled.

The officers and men of the state's fire service seen at the scene, appear to be overwhelmed by the situation, as their efforts to salvage some wares seem inadequate. This prompted the response of some private companies, including construction firms, that mobilised their water tankers to the scene, to help contain the disaster.

The cause of the fire is not immediately known, but a shop owner in the market, Malam Yahaya Aliyu, said it was suspected to have been caused by an electrical fault. Aliyu, who lost one of his two shops to the fire, said he had yet to assess the cost of valuables burnt in his shop.

The Kantin Kwari Market, the largest textiles market in West Africa, is patronised by textile dealers nationwide and dealers from other countries such as as Niger Republic, Mali, Cameroon and Chad.

Meanwhile as the fire rages, most of the shops have been destroyed and according to residents , the inferno is the worst ever recorded in the market. Malam Abdulmumin Muhammad, a shop owner, said there was need for businessmen to wake up to God's order by paying the annual alms (zakkat).

"People deliberately refuse to give their annual alms to the needy as ordered by God and all Muslims know it," he said, saying it was regrettable that people made money, yet they refused to assist the needy.

Another shop owner, Malam Danladi Durumin-Iya, while grieving over his losses in the market, nevertheless commended the efforts of the men of the state fire service, saying they were doing their best to put out the fire.