Another popular market, Dugbe Market, in the Ibadan North West Local Government Area, has been ravaged by fire.
Three shops were razed, and properties worth millions of naira were destroyed.
The incident, which occurred at 12:25 a.m. on Sunday, has left traders and residents of the neighborhood in a state of panic.
The owners of the affected shops, who are still struggling to come to terms with the incident, were alerted through telephone calls.
According to the traders, the frequent fire outbreaks in some parts of the state have become a major concern, not just for traders but for the entire population of the state.
One of the traders lamented, “We cannot sleep with both eyes closed anymore, as fire incidents are becoming rampant.
“We all left our various shops late on Saturday, hoping to return on Monday, but we were shocked to receive distress calls from people in the neighborhood alerting us about the incident.
“While some traders were fortunate to have their shops spared, others have lost their entire fortunes to the inferno.”
Confirming the incident, a senior officer of the Oyo State Fire Service, Mr. I.A. Adeleke, stated in his report:
“The fire incident was reported to our agency at exactly 12:25 a.m. on Sunday via GSM by Mrs. Babarinu, who reported that shops were on fire at the above address.
“Our personnel were quickly deployed to the scene and arrived promptly, as there was no traffic congestion.
“Upon arrival, three out of thirteen shops were already engulfed in flames. We immediately swung into action to prevent the fire from spreading to nearby properties.
“The fire was completely extinguished, and those present were educated on proper fire prevention measures during the Harmattan season and how to control fires in their early stages.
“While three shops were destroyed, thirteen other shops and additional properties were saved by officers of the Oyo State Fire Services Agency.
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“The cause of the fire was traced to the burning of unattended refuse by occupants of the premises. Therefore, indiscriminate burning of refuse, bushes, and undergrowth should be completely avoided in our community.”
Hon. Yusuf Adebisi and a team of police officers, led by DSP Sulaiman from the Iyaganku Police Division, were also present at the scene.
The Nigerian Tribune recalls a similar incident that occurred at the Christ Apostolic Church in Olorunda Aba during a Christmas carol service on Friday night.
Properties worth millions of naira, including educational certificates belonging to one of the clerics, his wife, and their children, were lost in the fire.
