Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde, has expressed sympathy with the chairman of Fresh FM, Dr Yinka Ayefele and the management of the radio station over the Friday night fire incident which affected some segments of its headquarters in Ibadan, the state capital.
Governor Makinde described the incident as unfortunate, noting, however, that he was thankful to God that no life was lost to the inferno.
He urged Ayefele, who he described as his brother and friend, to take heart and remain strong as he has always been, assuring that “this too shall pass and Fresh FM will bounce back.”
Meanwhile, the management has lamented that studios of Fresh FM and sister station, Blast FM, were “badly burnt” in the incident.
A statement late Friday night by the Group Head of Corporate Affairs, Fresh FM Nigeria and Yinka Ayefele Limited, Samson Akindele, explained that the extent of damage occasioned by the inferno cannot be quantified.
“We are sad to inform the general public that the the Head Office of Fresh FM Nigeria, Challenge – Ibadan was razed by a devastating fire incident this evening, August 15, 2025.
“In the ensuing mishap, the studios of Fresh 105.9 and Blast 98.3 were badly burnt, with proximal offices like the newsroom, the transmitter/server room and several equipment that got razed during active operations,” Akindele said.
He added that all efforts to fight the fire, before the arrival of the professional fire fighters, with the in-house fire extinguishers proved abortive due to the magnitude of the inferno.
“We can’t immediately quantify the extent of the damage caused by the devastating inferno, the cause of which is also yet to be ascertained presently,” the statement said.
Management also appreciated good-spirited Nigerians who joined in fighting the inferno.
“From the residents around our studio complex who were the first responders to passersby and the officials of the Oyo Fire Service, we appreciate everyone for their assistance during the emergency,” he said.
