The police in Cross River State have arrested five suspects allegedly found with stolen items within the premises of the SPAR shopping mall in Calabar, where a fire outbreak destroyed properties on Saturday. The police spokesman in the state, Sunday Eitokpah, disclosed this in an update on the incident. The suspects were identified as Victor Daniel, Gideon Asuquo, Okafor Michael, Ochi Joseph and Veronica Ebi.
The arrests came after the police had earlier warned that they were taking measures to prevent people from looting properties belonging to victims of the fire incident. In an earlier statement, Eitokpah said there were no reported casualties from the fire at the time, while security personnel were deployed to protect properties within the mall. The command had also said a possible electrical fault was suspected to have caused the fire.
Videos from the scene showed thick smoke and flames coming from parts of the mall, while firefighters deployed equipment to contain the inferno. People were seen carrying cartons and other belongings out of the premises as security personnel cordoned off the area. A content creator, Dr Laff, who posted a video of the incident, said millions of naira worth of properties had been damaged. The fire affected shops where traders and other occupants kept their goods, although the full value of the properties destroyed has not been independently established.
The fire at the SPAR mall in Calabar is a devastating blow to the traders who lost their livelihoods. The arrests of looters suggest that some people saw the tragedy as an opportunity. The police’s swift action is commendable, but the underlying question is why a major shopping mall was vulnerable to a fire that could have been prevented.
The winners: the police, who have made arrests; and the traders whose goods may be recovered. The losers: the traders who lost their properties; and the Nigerian public, who must now question the safety of shopping malls.
Bottom Line: Five looters have been arrested after a fire gutted a Calabar mall. The traders are counting their losses. The question is whether the fire safety standards will be reviewed.