Angry Youth Allegedly Burn Down Multi-million Naira Furniture Market In Bayelsa

Some aggrieved youth In Bayelsa State on Sunday reportedly burnt down a popular furniture market in Biogbolo, a suburn of the Yenagoa Metropolis.

BIGPENNGR.COM understands the aggrieved youth set the market ablaze allegedly around 4: am Sunday morning, December 20, 2020.

The multi- million naira furniture market is located at the Biogbolo area of the Melford Okilo Expressway in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State Capital.

Sources disclosed that the early morning inferno may have been ignited by some youth who have been demanding ‘matching money’ from traders in the market.

Although remote cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, some traders and residents are pointing fingers at the youth who had earlier threatened to burn down the market over failure to get some undefined money tagged ‘marching fee’ from the traders.

BIGPENNGR.COM reports that what is left of the usually busy market was debris – burnt furniture and owners who were lamenting their losses.

“Hundreds of traders are presently lamenting over their losses as goods worth millions of Naira went up in flame Sunday morning.

“Traffic flow on the road was impeded as vehicles were forced to use one side of the dual-carriage way as the other was loaded with furniture lucky to be salvaged from the inferno.

“Some of the affected persons said they believe the fire was caused by some boys who had earlier threatened to burn down the market if some certain demands from the area boys were not meet”.

Mr. Ifeanyi, one of the shop owners while lamenting his huge loss, said there was more to meet the eyes concerning the incident

According to a source who don’t want his name mentioned, some youths have threatened to burn down the shops if the traders fail to pay what they called “matching ground”.

According to him, “I saw them setting the place on fire, the boys are five in number, I struggle to secure some of my furniture but I couldn’t because the fire was severe”

The local Government Chairman of the Yenagoa City Council Hon. Nimizuoa Uroupaye who paid an unscheduled visit to the scene to see the level of damage caused by the fire and sympathized with the Victims.

In an interactive session with the victims, it was gathered that five Boys set the furniture shops on fire around 4.am Sunday Morning 2020.

The Chairman assured the victims not to be afraid that all those involved in “this ugly act will be made to face the full wrath of the law”.

He however called an emergency meeting between the leadership of Biogbolo Community and the leadership of Traders in his office.

It would be recalled that in 2017, the furniture market was also razed by angry youths over a crisis which resulted from the killing of a teenage girl from the furniture market’s host community