A middle-aged woman, identified as Alhaja Balikis, has lamented the loss of ten shops and goods worth millions of naira to the inferno that ravaged over 70 shops at the popular Aleshinloye Market in the Southwest local government area on Wednesday.
The incident, which occurred at midnight on Tuesday, has left traders at the market devastated as they continue counting their losses.
Balikis, who has resigned herself to fate, disclosed that the fire started from two shops directly facing the State Fire Service at Aleshinloye Market before spreading to over 70 others.
“Efforts to curtail the spread of the fire to other outlets proved abortive. Men of the Fire Services, aside from arriving at the scene of the incident late, complained of inadequate tools, especially tanker trucks. Imagine, the Alesinloye outstation of the Fire Services cannot boast of functional trucks,” she lamented.
She further expressed frustration over the lack of preparedness, stating that “the enormity of the losses recorded would have been prevented if the men of the Fire Services were alive to their responsibility.”
As of now, no fewer than three affected traders are receiving medical attention at the University College Hospital, Ibadan.
“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,” Balikis pleaded.
Meanwhile, the Oyo State Government has assured the victims of its support. The Deputy Governor, Barr. Adebayo Lawal, during an on-the-spot assessment of the affected section of the market, described the incident as unfortunate.
He ordered an immediate preliminary investigation into the incident, which he said would enable the government to make decisions in the best interest of those affected.
Lawal also directed the local government chairman, Hon. Kehinde Akande, to provide immediate logistics support for the affected traders.
He promised that the state government, through the Oyo State Emergency Management Agency (OYSEMA) and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), would provide palliatives.
Also, Lawal implored representatives of the traders and their leadership to quickly present their reports, taking stock of the shops and wares damaged by the inferno, so the state government could expedite intervention measures.
Also speaking on the incident, the Babaloja of Oyo State, Alhaji Yekeen Abass, assured traders of the government’s support.
“Engineer Makinde is a listening governor. I will take the issue to him. I am assuring you that you will get a favorable response,” Abass said.
The community now awaits the government’s intervention as traders begin the daunting task of rebuilding their livelihoods.