Monday, December 1, 2025 - Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, on Saturday visited the Pigba Pantaker District Market in the Apo area of Abuja, where a recent late-night fire destroyed hundreds of makeshift homes, shops and workshops belonging to artisans and petty traders.
The inferno, which swept through the densely populated
metal-fabrication and recycling cluster, reportedly displaced 324
residents—mostly northerners who earn their living as welders, mechanics, iron
scavengers and small-scale traders.
By the time the flames were extinguished, tools, wares and
personal belongings had been reduced to ashes.
Matawalle, who arrived at the scene shortly after 6 pm, was
received by a crowd of affected traders.
The minister moved through the burnt sections of the
settlement, pausing at intervals to inspect charred structures, twisted metal
and heaps of debris left in the aftermath of the fire.
During the assessment, the minister listened as traders
narrated how the fire engulfed the area within minutes.
Many told him they had escaped with nothing but the clothes
they wore.
Speaking after the assessment, Matawalle announced a
personal donation of ₦20m
to provide immediate relief for the victims.
He said the gesture was to cushion their suffering while
broader interventions were explored.
He said, “I am deeply touched by what I have seen here. Many
of you have lost everything, your tools, your shops, your homes. This support
is my personal contribution to help you get back on your feet. I will also
brief President Bola Ahmed Tinubu fully on this incident and push for
additional federal assistance so that you are not left alone in this difficult
time.
The announcement drew loud cheers from the victims, many of
whom expressed gratitude that a federal official had visited not long after the
incident.
Some elderly artisans openly wept as they thanked the
minister for what they described as an unexpected show of compassion.
Matawalle, while addressing the victims, urged them to
remain hopeful and to support the administration of President Tinubu.
“I urge you all to continue to pray for President Bola Ahmed
Tinubu to succeed,” he said.
“I can assure you, Nigeria will be great under President
Tinubu. Your resilience is inspiring, and the government will not abandon you.”
One of the community leaders said the minister’s presence
restored hope to people who had been unsure of where help would come from.
“Our people were in despair because everything they worked
for was burnt. But the minister has shown that we are not forgotten. We
appreciate him, and we appeal to the government to help us rebuild so that
these young men can return to their work,” he said.
Leaders of the market associations also took turns to
commend the minister, noting that many of the traders lived from hand to mouth
and could not recover on their own from a disaster of such magnitude.
They urged both the federal and the FCT authorities to
consider a permanent rebuilding plan to prevent recurring fire outbreaks.
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