A devastating fire outbreak at the popular Aleshinloye Market in Ibadan, Oyo State, has left traders counting their losses after over 70 shops were destroyed.
The inferno, which started around 10:15 pm on Tuesday in the Ibadan South West Local Government Area, spread rapidly, causing massive damage to goods worth millions of naira.
One of the affected traders, identified as Balikis, lamented that she lost over ten shops and goods worth several millions of naira. She blamed the inefficiency of the Fire Service for the extent of the damage, citing their late arrival and lack of functional firefighting trucks.
“We live on bank loans. With this incident, our indebtedness to various financial institutions is humongous. We are appealing to Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration to come to our aid,” she pleaded.
Another trader, who rushed to the scene after hearing about the fire on the radio, described the destruction as overwhelming.
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Meanwhile, the Oyo State Government has assured victims of support. The Deputy Governor, Bayo Lawal, visited the market for an on-the-spot assessment on Wednesday, describing the incident as unfortunate. He ordered an immediate investigation and directed the Local Government Chairman, Kehinde Akande, to provide logistics support for the affected traders.
Lawal also promised that the government, through the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), would provide palliatives to the victims.
The Babaloja of Oyo State, Yekeen Abass, reassured traders that Governor Seyi Makinde would respond positively to their plight.
“Makinde is a listening governor. I will take the issue to him. I am assuring you that you will get a favourable response,” he stated.
