Last week, a devastating fire engulfed Gombe’s Kasuwar Katako Timber Market, destroying shops and goods worth an estimated N600m and leaving at least 60 traders facing sudden economic hardship, writes CHIMA AZUBUIKE
The smell of burnt timber still hung thick in the air as dawn broke over the Railway Station axis of Gombe metropolis. What only hours earlier had been a bustling commercial hub supplying wood and building materials to Gombe State and much of the North-East was reduced to blackened ruins, twisted zinc sheets and smouldering heaps of ash. The inferno that swept through the popular Gombe Timber Market, widely known as Kasuwar Katako, left no fewer than 60 shop owners counting losses conservatively estimated at N600m, plunging dozens of families into sudden economic uncertainty.
The fire outbreak, which occurred on Monday night, December 15, 2025, shortly after traders had closed for the day, has gone down as one of the most devastating incidents in the market’s history. For many of the affected traders, the disaster wiped out years, sometimes decades, of investment in a matter of minutes.
Kasuwar Katako is more than just a cluster of wooden stalls. It is a strategic commercial artery in Gombe, supplying timber, planks, roofing zinc, ceiling boards, nails and other essential building materials to artisans, contractors and households across the state and neighbouring parts of Bauchi, Yobe and Adamawa. From early morning until dusk, trucks offload logs and processed wood, carpenters bargain loudly with suppliers, and labourers ferry heavy materials from one end of the market to another.
For many traders, business at the timber market represents generational livelihoods passed down from fathers to sons. It is also a major employer of youths, artisans and casual labourers who depend on daily transactions for survival.
Recounting the harrowing moments when the tragedy began, the Chairman of the Timber Market Association, Mohammed Ahmadu, popularly known as Kasuwar Katako, said the fire broke out around 7:45 p.m.
“On Monday night around 7:45 p.m., I was called that the market was on fire, and as the management of the market, we began to call the fire service to rescue the situation,” Ahmadu said.
According to him, by the time market leaders and emergency responders mobilised, the blaze had already spiralled out of control, fuelled by the highly flammable nature of the goods stored in the market.
“Before the fire service arrived, everywhere was up in flames, destroying our goods,” he added.
Eyewitnesses said the flames spread rapidly from one section of the market to another, leaping across narrow pathways and consuming rows of shops in quick succession. Traders who rushed back to the market in desperation could do little more than watch as fire devoured stacks of timber, roofing materials and accessories worth millions of naira.
While the full scale of losses is still being assessed, the association chairman said the figures being discussed are conservative estimates.
“I may not give the accurate amount, but the least amount lost from the inferno is N600m. I’m very certain it is more, but for the sake of estimation, a lot of things were burnt, woods of different types, zinc, ceilings, nails and many others. Sixty of our members are suffering from the fire outbreak,” Ahmadu stated.
For many traders, the losses extend beyond goods on display. Several had stocked materials in anticipation of the peak construction season, while others had taken loans or invested their savings to expand their businesses.
By Tuesday morning, traders gathered quietly around the ruins of their shops, some sifting through ashes in the hope of salvaging anything usable. Others sat in stunned silence, grappling with the reality that their means of livelihood had vanished overnight.
Community leaders described the mood as one of collective grief, tempered by cautious hope that government intervention would help victims rebuild.
A trader, Mustapha Hussein, said, “Everything my brother has is inside that shop. From the money I loaned him to the wood I bought last week, everything is gone.”
Behind every burnt shop lies a family now grappling with uncertainty. Many of the affected traders are breadwinners responsible for school fees, medical bills and daily household needs. With their means of livelihood destroyed overnight, the psychological and economic toll is immense.
It was against this backdrop that Ahmadu made an emotional appeal for support.
“I am calling on the government and public-spirited individuals to help victims of the fire resuscitate their businesses. They have families and other dependents they cater for. We plead for support,” he said.
Beyond immediate relief, the chairman emphasised the urgent need for structural measures to prevent a recurrence.
“There is a need to drill a borehole in the market and station a fire service truck to mitigate future occurrences,” he appealed.
As news of the inferno spread across Gombe, concerns emerged over the speed and effectiveness of the emergency response. However, the Secretary of the Gombe State Emergency Management Agency, Haruna Abdullahi, rejected claims that poor response was responsible for the magnitude of the losses.
“The fire service was here early to put out the fire; unfortunately, on their way from Gombe State University, they were involved in an accident,” Abdullahi explained.
According to him, the accident delayed one of the firefighting trucks responding to the emergency, compounding an already difficult situation.
On the recurring incidents of fire outbreaks in markets and public places, Abdullahi suggested that electrical faults remain a major factor.
“It may be electrical, it may be something else, but the major reports received showed they were caused by electrical faults,” he said.
Markets like Kasuwar Katako often rely on makeshift electrical connections, with multiple shops drawing power from a single source, a situation experts say significantly increases fire risk.
Abdullahi disclosed that the government would activate established mechanisms to support the victims.
“Normally, we have a joint assessment team comprising the National Emergency Management Agency, the State Emergency Management Agency and the North-East Development Commission. We are going to conduct a thorough assessment. They lost a lot here; most of them are family people,” he added.
Speaking shortly after assessing the damage, the Deputy Governor of Gombe State, Dr Manassah Jatau, assured traders that the government would act based on the recommendations of relevant agencies.
“Recommendations will be harvested from SEMA, NEMA and NEDC,” Jatau said.
He acknowledged the demands raised by the market leadership, particularly the call for firefighting infrastructure within the market.
“We have heard the demand of the chairman of the market for the drilling of a borehole and the stationing of a fire service vehicle here. I think there used to be one here, but we will check and know what happened,” he stated.
While addressing concerns about preparedness, the deputy governor offered a reflective perspective.
“Abacha once said that even in the best of all systems, accidents do happen. When things want to happen, they will happen; when a goal will be scored, no matter what the goalkeeper does, it will score,” he added.
On Monday night, Gombe State Governor, Inuwa Yahaya, expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy.
In a press statement signed by Ismaila Misilli, Director-General, Press Affairs, Gombe Government House, the governor described the incident as painful and distressing, noting that the scale of destruction represented a huge setback to hardworking men and women who depend on the market for their daily sustenance.
“The incident is painful and distressing. The scale of destruction is a huge setback to hardworking men and women who depend on the market for their daily sustenance,” the statement said.
Governor Yahaya extended his sympathy to the affected traders. “We assure them that the government stands firmly with them at this difficult moment,” he said.
In response to the inferno, the governor directed the Gombe State Emergency Management Agency and other relevant bodies to immediately conduct a thorough assessment, investigate the cause of the fire and provide urgent relief to cushion the impact on victims.
He commended the combined efforts of firefighting and security agencies.
“We commend the Gombe State Fire Service, firefighters from Gombe State University, the Federal Fire Service, private tanker operators, as well as security agencies and the Nigerian Red Cross Society for their swift response, which helped in bringing the fire under control and preventing further damage,” the statement read.
While sympathising with the victims, Yahaya urged calm.
“We want to assure them that the government will take the necessary steps to mitigate their losses and strengthen preventive measures to avert future occurrences,” he said.
The governor reiterated his administration’s resolve to establish a state-of-the-art fire service office, fully equipped to complement existing facilities across the state, in line with his commitment to protecting lives, property and investments.
The statement also disclosed that the governor was informed of an accident involving one of the firefighting trucks while responding to the emergency.
“Governor Inuwa Yahaya expressed sympathy to those involved and prayed for their quick recovery,” Misilli added.
A business analyst, Bolaji Ologundudu, noted that the Kasuwar Katako inferno has once again highlighted the vulnerability of Nigeria’s traditional markets, particularly those dealing in flammable materials.
He stressed the need for improved urban planning, functional fire hydrants, a constant water supply and routine safety inspections.
“As joint assessment teams begin their work, affected traders should be hopeful that promised relief and long-term safety measures will materialise. For now, the charred remains of the timber market stand as a stark reminder of how quickly livelihoods can be erased and how urgent the task of prevention has become.
“For the traders of Kasuwar Katako, recovery will not be easy. But amid the ashes, there remains a shared resolve to rebuild, provided support comes swiftly, and lessons are learned from a night Gombe will not soon forget,” Ologundudu added.
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