The Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, has extended heartfelt condolences to victims of the recent fire outbreak at the Azare Central Market in Bauchi State. Describing the incident as a devastating blow to livelihoods and local enterprise, the minister also announced a personal donation of ₦10 million to support recovery efforts for affected traders.
In a statement issued through his spokesman Alkasim Abdulkadir, the minister identified the victims as salesmen, butchers, car wash operators, mobile phone accessories vendors, charging point service providers, and local mechanics. He noted that their loss was not only material but a major setback to the informal economy which underpins grassroots prosperity in the region.
“The Azare fire is a sobering reminder of the vulnerability of small-scale entrepreneurs in our local economies,” Tuggar said. “These are not just vendors—they are breadwinners, community stabilizers, and the engine of rural enterprise.”
Beyond condolences, the minister seized the moment to draw national attention to the growing injustice in land confiscation and forced displacement in Bauchi State. He condemned what he described as “the systematic confiscation of farmlands from smallholder farmers and cattle herders”—a trend he warned could deepen food insecurity and rural disenfranchisement.
“It is unacceptable to dislodge squatters or informal settlers without adequate compensation or meaningful relocation alternatives,” the minister stated. “Displacement without justice only deepens marginalisation and fuels disenchantment in already fragile communities.”
Ambassador Tuggar urged authorities at all levels to ensure fairness and human dignity in the enforcement of land policies, and to uphold the rights of indigenous and rural populations in the face of expanding urbanization and development.
The minister’s remarks come at a time of disenfranchisement of landowners and its impact on rural livelihoods. He used the occasion to donate the sum of ₦10 million the sum is expected to provide immediate relief to victims while broader recovery and policy measures are being considered.