Excessive cold due to Hamatan weather has become a source of concern to the people of Dutse, the Jigawa capital, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.
Investigation by NAN correspondent on Sunday in Dutse revealed that the cold weather had forced people indoors, crippling commercial and social activities in the metropolis and environs.
Most shops remained shut while only few passengers were sighted at motor parks.
Many civil servants had also reported late at their offices last week as a result of the cold weather.
Some workers at both Federal and state secretariat cited the cold weather as reason for reporting late to work in the past few days.
Hajiya Hauwa Idris, a trader in Dutse market, told NAN that she only opened her shop around 2: 00p.m. or sometimes stayed back at home due to the cold weather.
Hauwa explained that in view of the cold, she had not been getting any patronage from customers.
Chukwuma Obi, another shop owner in Dutse market, said sales had dropped during the Hamatan season as the cold was forcing people indoors.
“In fact I can tell you some of my colleagues don’t even want to open their shops because of the cold,” Obi said.
Other respondents reported similar lull in business activiities that could be seen from the various commercial hot spots in the state capital.(NAN)