Fire Destroys Benue Rice Mill in Makurdi

Properties worth millions of naira have been razed by fire at the popular rice mill market in Wurukum, Makurdi, Benue State. Two shops were destroyed with all the rice processing machines, including processed and non-processed rice and other items burnt.

The fire incident was said to have happened last Sunday night at about 10p.m. before men of the state fire service swiftly intervened to put out the fire preventing it from spreading to other shops nearby.

One of the affected shop owners, Mrs. Hanmaikyur Mercy, visibly worried about her burnt shop, said she started the shop in December 2023 with about N10 million now lost to the fire, wonders how she could start over again with the current economic situation.

Mercy called on the state Governor, Hyacinth Alia, to help her to bounce back, noting that her three machines, de-stoning machines, polishing and others are gone, including bags of rice.

Her son, Iorwa Jeremiah, who describes the situation as unfortunate, said not a single item, not even a bag of rice was removed from their shop as at the time they got there when they were called that fire had engulf their shop.

He said: “We only met fire service on ground putting out the fire, that is just what we could see and this morning as we came to see the shop, everything was gone. We are calling on the state government to help restore our business no matter how small.”

While, the Chairman, Wurukum rice mill market, Terva Igyar, stated that two shops were burnt, including a motorcycle, about six milling machines, bags of rice and other items.

He said he was touch with the Makurdi Local Government Area chairman and the other stakeholders in the development who are coming to assess the situation.

Igyar, however, said they will carry out an assessment of the burnt shops in order to know how much was destroyed to enable Governor Alia support them to return.