By Dennis Mernyi
The FCT Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has given insight into what happened to goods carted out of the fire-ravaged NEXT Cash and Carry Shopping mall yesterday in Abuja.
FEMA debunked media reports that there was looting at the popular Abuja Shopping mall, which was destroyed by fire on Sunday.
Director-General of FEMA, Alhaji Abbas Idriss, clarified a statement issued in Abuja Monday disclosed that staff and security personnel of the mall only evacuated some goods to safety.
According to him: “Immediately the agency got to the scene of the incident, security operatives cordoned the area and fire fighting began.
“There was no looting whatsoever as being speculated by some people on the social media.
“What we saw on social media was a staff of Next Cash and Carry trying to salvage goods using trolleys. Nothing was taken out of the premises by looters,’’ Idriss stated.
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Alhaji Idriss commended all responders, security agencies, and the media for their prompt response to the fire incident.
“Immediately FEMA received the distress call on the fire incident, it activated all responders, including the Federal Fire Service, FCT Fire Service,e, and FCT Police Command.
“Others are the Department of State Services, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, the National Emergency Management Agency, the armed forces, Julius Berger, the NNPC, and other private corporate entities,’’ he stated.
Idriss added that the rescue effort was well coordinated, leading to the containment of the fire.
He reaffirmed that no life was lost to the incident and neither was anyone injured.
The female boss, however, appealed to business owners to factor in risk elements in their business plans, noting that fire engines did not get free access within the shopping mall
