A devastating fire broke out at the Oba Lipede Market in Kuto, Abeokuta, on Saturday night, razing 15 shops, destroying goods worth millions of naira, and leaving one person injured.
The blaze, which reportedly began around 10:15 pm, originated from one of the makeshift shops outside the main market, allegedly following a power surge in a palm kernel shop using gas. Eyewitnesses reported that the fire quickly spread, engulfing various stalls and consuming goods such as rice, provisions, bananas, and cooking pots.
On Sunday morning, traders were seen mourning their losses, with some visibly distraught over the extent of the damage. Among the affected were a couple, Basiru and Tolani Moses, who lost their adjacent shops to the flames. Basiru disclosed that N500,000 in cash, which was kept for a bank deposit on Monday, was destroyed along with goods worth N1.5 million.
Market leader Mrs. Tejumade Bakre lamented that looting occurred shortly after the fire, although security agents later intervened to restore order.
Top government officials, including the Commissioner for Special Duties, Funmi Efuwape, the Director of the State Emergency Management Agency (OGSEMA), Wale Sonde, the Director of State Fire Service, Fatai Adefala, and the Chairman of Abeokuta South Local Government, Omolaja Majekodunmi, visited the scene on Sunday to assess the damage.
Efuwape commented on the fire's cause and its impact, stating, "The fire outbreak was due to these shanties erected outside the main market building. Now that traders have seen the consequences, I am sure they will agree with us that these structures must go. About ten shops outside and five inside were affected. The five inside would not have been affected if not for the illegal structures outside."
She also mentioned that the main market building would undergo an integrity test to ensure its safety, with the government planning measures for renovation.
Fire Service chief Adefala provided further details on the incident, noting, "We were called around 10:15 pm, and our men arrived promptly. However, accessing the market was challenging, so we had to go through the back to trace the fire's origin. It was a power surge. There is a palm kernel shop involved in recycling, using gas, which caused the fire outbreak and subsequent explosion."
The state authorities have promised to take necessary steps to prevent future occurrences and support the affected traders in rebuilding their businesses.
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