Police officers in Calabar, Cross River State, have been deployed to the SPAR shopping mall following a devastating fire outbreak that destroyed several shops and goods worth millions of naira.
The fire, which occurred on Saturday, left shop owners devastated as they watched their businesses and merchandise go up in flames.
The spokesperson for the Cross River State Police Command, ASP Eitokpah Sunday Akata, said officers had been battling to prevent looters from taking advantage of the situation to steal valuables salvaged from the affected shops.
According to him, the affected areas had been cordoned off to keep miscreants away.
He added that no death had been recorded as of the time of the report, although several properties and goods had been badly damaged.
The police spokesperson said an electrical fault was suspected to be responsible for the fire, but noted that the exact cause had yet to be conclusively established.
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Shop owners who lost their businesses expressed deep frustration and anguish over the destruction.
One of the affected traders, Orji Alphonsus, who deals in second-hand merchandise, said he had rented his shop barely a year ago and invested his savings and borrowed funds into stocking it.
He lamented that the fire had left him with huge financial obligations and no means of immediately recovering his losses.
Fire trucks were seen at the scene as efforts continued to contain the inferno, while police maintained security around the affected areas.
Authorities are expected to determine the exact cause of the fire and assess the full extent of the damage.
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