A devastating fire engulfed Oba Lipede Market in Kuto, Abeokuta, Ogun State, late Saturday night, resulting in the injury of one person and the destruction of goods valued at several millions of Naira.
The blaze, which broke out around 10:15 pm, consumed at least 15 shops.
Eyewitnesses reported that the fire originated from a power surge in a makeshift palm kernel shop using gas outside the main market.
The inferno swiftly spread, incinerating various goods, including rice, provisions, bananas, and pots.
On Sunday morning, traders were seen mourning their losses. Among the affected were Basiru and Tolani Moses, a couple whose adjacent shops were destroyed.
Basiru revealed that they lost N500,000 in cash and goods worth N1.5 million, with the cash intended for deposit at the bank on Monday.
Market leader Mrs. Tejumade Bakre lamented that looting occurred immediately after the fire, but security forces eventually contained the situation.
High-profile visitors, including the Commissioner for Special Duties Funmi Efuwape, the Director of the State Emergency Management Agency, Wale Sonde, the Director of the State Fire Service, Fatai Adefala, and the Chairman of Abeokuta South Local Government Omolaja Majekodunmi, arrived at the scene on Sunday to evaluate the damage.
Efuwape addressed the press, stating, “The fire outbreak was just because of these shanties erected outside the main market building. Now that they (traders) have seen it for themselves, I am sure when the government comes in and tells them that all these shanties must go, definitely they will agree with us that they have to go.”
She explained that ten shops outside and five inside the market were affected, adding, “The five would not have been affected if the ones outside were not there. The fire started from the illegal structures outside and erupted to the main building.”
Efuwape also mentioned plans for an integrity test on the main market building and forthcoming government measures for market renovation.
Fire Service Chief Adefala noted the timely arrival of firefighters, but access issues delayed their response.
He explained, “It was a power surge. There is a palm kernel shop that was doing let’s say recycling and the guy was using gas, there was an outbreak of fire and everything just exploded. That’s where it started from. Those are the chalets outside the main Lipede market.”
