More information about the fire that broke out at Peter Obi’s Supermarket/Mall in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, has emerged.
On Sunday, December 26, 2021, the incident occurred. The mall’s management, on the other hand, has opted to speak out about the tragic incident. Mr. Neil Pape, the General Manager, provided insight into how the fire broke out. He also emphasized their capabilities, saying that they had everything they needed to avoid or battle a fire.
Unfortunately, the supermarket’s reopening time was less than two hours after the fire started. The mall had closed on December 24th to allow employees to spend time with their families for the holidays. They were supposed to restart on December 26th. Cleaning crews and others were already on the job ahead of schedule, but the fire broke out around 10:45 a.m. that day. The fire outbreak was strange, according to the General Manager. What could have caused the fire to break out? Why did it happen at a particularly vulnerable time, when the mall was trying to reopen?
What the mall wants from the Nigerian government
The mall’s management urged that the Nigerian authorities, particularly those in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), examine the bizarre fire outbreak at the mall. According to Pape, who has worked in a variety of large corporations around the world, the fire breakout was unusual. Investigating the incident will aid in determining the remote and immediate causes of the fire.
The truth is that the Nigerian government’s actions or inactivity in the aftermath of the mall fire will have consequences. Pape is a foreigner, while the company’s owner, Peter Obi, is a Nigerian. While Obi is unlikely to shut down the company and go to another country, other investors may not be as patient, daring, or patriotic. Other investors’ confidence will be rekindled if the authorities respond quickly and appropriately to the fire outbreak that resulted in large losses.
According to Pape, if nothing is done in the aftermath of the incident, other investors may be scared away from Nigeria. The desire for an independent and thorough investigation will aid in determining what caused the incident. Whose acts or inactions were responsible for it? In addition, authorities may take preventative measures to avoid fire outbreaks.
Finally, the Nigerian government may consider compensating the business owner, as it promised, in order to help him recover from the losses incurred as a result of the fire. All of this will help to restore business owners’ faith in the country. It will also encourage other foreign investors to come to Nigeria and invest.
