The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mallam Muhammad Bello has reacted to the fire incident that razed down the Next Cash and Carry Supermarket in Abuja.
KanyiDaily had reported that the Next Cash & Carry Supermarket, one of Abuja’s biggest shopping malls, was gutted by fire on Sunday with goods worth billions of Naira destroyed.
Reacting to the development, FCT Minister pledged to provide needed support for the supermarket to bounce back stronger than it was before the fire incident on Boxing Day.
Bello made the pledge on Tuesday in Abuja while undertaking an on-the-spot assessment of the mega shopping mall which was gutted by fire on Sunday, December 26.
Bello said the fire incident was something that hit the city very hard as the facility was an important investment that generated many jobs for Abuja residents.
He added that even though the inferno was an unfortunate incident, by the grace of God, no life was lost, and a substantial part of the premises where bulk items were stored in the warehouses were salvaged.
The Minister said, “This particular incident brought out what is good about us as residents, everybody united and supported them.
“I sympathise with NEXT, particularly because during the heat of the COVID-19, NEXT was among the foremost companies that provided tremendous support to the FCTA, by providing palliative items, which we distributed to vulnerable members of the community.
“Unfortunately, today they are also vulnerable, so it’s our duty in the city to rally round and protect this important investment that is a generator of many jobs in the city.
“We will give them all the needed support so that they bounce back stronger than what they were before. We look forward to seeing you back to business in no distant future.”
He commended the managers and staff of NEXT Cash n Carry for having and activating internal fire fighting mechanism in place, which greatly helped in curtailing the inferno.
Meanwhile, police have arrested at least three suspects who attempted to loot items during the fire outbreak at the Next Cash and Carry Supermarket in Abuja.
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