Sokoto Mechanic Village Inferno: Shops and Vehicles Razed in Morning Fire

A massive fire outbreak on Monday, January 5, 2026, tore through the popular Sokoto Mechanic Village, also known as Buzaye Garage, leaving a trail of destruction that includes dozens of workshops and several high-end vehicles. The inferno, which reportedly erupted around 10:00 a.m., sent plumes of black smoke into the Sokoto skyline as mechanics and spare parts dealers watched their livelihoods vanish in flames. Preliminary reports suggest that an electrical fault within one of the workshops triggered the disaster, which quickly escalated due to the presence of highly inflammable materials.

The mechanic village serves as a critical automotive hub, not only for motorists in Sokoto State but also for traders and drivers from the neighboring Niger Republic. The section of the garage most severely impacted was the cluster dedicated to Mercedes-Benz repairs and specialized spare parts. Many of the vehicles consumed by the fire were reportedly high-value cars brought in by international customers from across the border, adding a cross-border economic dimension to the tragedy.

Despite a swift response from the Federal Fire Service and the Sokoto State Fire Service, the blaze proved difficult to contain. Firefighters, supported by brave local residents, battled the flames for several hours as gas cylinders—used for welding and panel beating—exploded, acting as accelerators for the fire. The sheer intensity of the heat prevented responders from saving a large portion of the equipment and inventory housed in the densely packed stalls.

The Chairman of the Nigerian Automobile Technicians Association (NATA), Buzaye Unit, Engr. Abdulkadir Muhammad, confirmed the incident but noted that a final tally of the losses remains impossible while cooling-down operations continue. “Many of our members have lost everything today,” Muhammad stated, describing the scene as a catastrophic blow to the local artisan community. He emphasized that the combination of gas cylinders and various oils stored on-site made the environment a “tinderbox” once the initial spark occurred.

As the community begins the painful process of assessment, the NATA leadership has made an urgent appeal to the Sokoto State Government for emergency intervention. Engr. Muhammad pointed out that it has been more than a decade since the association received any form of government support following a similar disaster. With many mechanics now facing total financial ruin and the burden of replacing customers’ vehicles, the call for a dedicated relief fund has become a desperate plea for survival.

Governor Ahmed Aliyu, who has recently prioritized urban reconstruction in the state, is expected to receive a formal report on the incident by Tuesday. For now, the gates of Buzaye Garage remain closed to the public, guarded by security personnel as shop owners sift through the charred remains of their businesses. The tragedy serves as a grim reminder of the need for improved fire safety infrastructure and more robust emergency planning within the state’s sprawling commercial clusters.