Velocity Humanitarian Foundation Donates ₦10 Million to Gombe Timber Market Fire Victims

 Kamal Hammajo Adam | 21 December, 2025

GOMBE: The Velocity Humanitarian Foundation has donated the sum of ₦10 million to the Gombe Timber Market Association to support traders affected by a recent fire outbreak that destroyed sections of the market.

Presenting the donation in Gombe, the foundation said the gesture was aimed at easing the hardship faced by victims who lost goods and property in the inferno, which occurred twice within one month.

Speaking during the presentation, the Chairman of the Gombe Timber Market Association, Muhammad Sani, expressed deep appreciation to the founder of the foundation, Engineer Aliyu Muhammad, for what he described as the highest single donation the association has received since the incident.

He said the association had received support from individuals and organizations, but noted that the intervention by Engineer Aliyu Muhammad, popularly known as Combat, stood out for its magnitude and timely nature.

Muhammad Sani further disclosed that the market leadership is working towards acquiring a transformer that would enable electricity to be disconnected at night, as part of measures to prevent future fire outbreaks. He revealed that the market lost goods worth millions of naira during the two separate fire incidents.

Sani Ahmadu, popularly known as Mamman Alaska, said the association has continued to support affected members through internal assistance to help them sustain their families after the disaster.

The Chairman also appealed to the government and political leaders to provide critical safety infrastructure for the market, including a fire service unit and a solar-powered borehole, to reduce the risk of future fire incidents.

On his part, the Chairman of the Velocity Humanitarian Foundation, Adamu Aliyu, said the foundation’s founder was deeply disturbed upon receiving news of the fire outbreak. He noted that while the donation might not fully compensate for the losses, it was intended to provide relief and support to the victims.

In a related development, the leadership of Jama’atu Izalatul Bid’ah Wa Iqamatus Sunnah (JIBWIS) also donated ₦100,000 to the affected traders. Presenting the donation, Sheikh Hamza Adamu prayed for Allah to replace the losses suffered by the victims with something better and urged them to remain steadfast, trusting in Allah’s will.

The repeated fire outbreaks at the Gombe Timber Market have raised concerns over safety measures at one of the state’s busiest commercial hubs, with traders calling for urgent government intervention to prevent future disasters.