Traders at the Fallujah Shopping Mall in Yola, Adamawa State, began the new year in distress after an early morning fire razed 11 shops on Thursday, January 1, 2026. The mall, a rapidly expanding marketplace, is located directly opposite the older Jimeta Ultramodern Market in the Yola North Local Government Area.
The inferno reportedly broke out while residents were celebrating the New Year. Witnesses noted that the lack of people in the area at the time of the outbreak delayed the alarm, preventing any goods from being salvaged from the affected stalls. Abubakar Yahaya, a trader at the market, stated that the fire was eventually brought under control once it came to the attention of local guards and police operatives. Their timely intervention prevented the flames from spreading to the main Jimeta Market or other parts of the newly developed mall.
Preliminary reports suggest the fire may have been caused by an electrical fault. It is believed to have originated in a shop specializing in second-hand clothes (known locally as Yan Gwanjo) before rapidly spreading to neighboring units.
While no lives were lost, the economic impact is significant, with merchants losing entire inventories of clothing and other wares. This incident adds to a series of market fires in the region, prompting local leaders to reiterate the need for better electrical safety and fire-fighting access within Adamawa’s major commercial hubs.
