No fewer than 100 suspected looters were arrested by security agents during fire outbreak which gutted the famous Sabon Gari market in Kano on Saturday.

The state commissioner of police, Mr Muhammad Katsina, disclosed this when Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje visited the market on Sunday.

He said the suspects were apprehended by security personnel deployed to the market to ensure security of lives and property following the fire outbreak.

Katsina said the suspects were arrested in different locations of the market while trying escape with their loots.

He said the suspects would be charged to court as soon as investigation was completed.

“The suspects are presently in our custody and as soon as investigation was concluded, they will be charged to court.”

In his remark, the governor said the state government had taken measures aimed at preventing future occurrence.

Ganduje, who, commiserated with the victims of the disaster and commended security personnel for ensuring adequate security during the incident.

He also thanked various private companies who supported the state Fire Service in putting out the inferno.

Also, the Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) has denied responsibility for the inferno at Sabon Gari Market in Kano.

A statement signed by its Chief Customer Relations Officer, Malam Abubakar Yusuf, claimed that the feeder line supplying electricity to the market was not on as at the time of the incident.

It explained that the feeder which received supply from Club Road, was off since Friday by 5p.m due to load shedding.

The company said “We wish to put the records straight that the fire incidence at Sabon-Gari market never emanated from power spark.”

“It is also on record that the two dedicated transformers supplying the market are still intact and had no sign of any power surge after the incidence.”

It condemned a statement by an official of the state fire service, linking the Sabon Gari market fire incident to electrical fault.

“The fire service never called us to alert us of the incidence as they normally do when there is a fire outbreak, but unfortunately for us they just went ahead to blame us.”

The company commiserated with the victims, Emir of Kano, and the Government and people of the state over the inferno.

NAN reports that the inferno affected large section of the market in the early hours of Saturday and it took fire service personnel more than 24 hours to contain. (NAN)

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