At least 36 shops have been destroyed by fire, which started around 11pm Sunday night, at a market in Potiskum, Yobe State.
The chairman of traditional medicine sellers Alhaji Omo Alzin said the fire lasted for over two hours before it was put out.
He said 30 of the affected shops belonged to traditional medicine sellers, while six belonged to firewood sellers.
“We still don’t know the extent or worth of the damage, but this inferno is very bad,” Alhaji Alzin told BBC Hausa, adding that the cause of the fire has yet to be identified.
Meanwhile, Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni has commiserated with the affected shop owners who lost valuables to the inferno.
He directed the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to assist the victims and to take stock of damages caused by the inferno.
Buni, who described the incident as most unfortunate, also directed the state Fire service to be proactive especially now during the harmattan season.
“The state ministry of Information, SEMA and the Fire service should intensify campaigns against bush burning and other causes of fire outbreak.
“The harmattan season is always identified with cases of fire outbreak, our people should therefore be enlightened on what to do to guard against fire outbreaks,” Gov. Buni said.
He further directed traditional institutions in the state to engage their people in proactive measures against fire incidences.
