Fire Destroys 8 Shops At Ibadan Market, Millions Of Naira Lost

No fewer than eight shops and property worth millions of naira have been destroyed by fire at Bola Ige International Market in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The timely intervention of the Oyo State Fire Services Agency prevented the fire from spreading to other shops and neighbouring properties, while no casualty was recorded.

The Special Adviser on Fire Services Reform and Chairman of the Oyo State Fire Services Agency, Dr Moroof Akinwande, confirmed the incident on Friday, saying the agency received a distress call at 19:21 hours on Thursday, October 29, 2026.

According to him, the call was received through a telephone report by SFS Oni, who alerted the agency to the fire outbreak in one of the market units.

Akinwande said the firefighting crew, led by Assistant Chief Fire Superintendent Adisa Wasiu, promptly mobilised to the scene, where they met some shops engulfed in flames, with thick smoke billowing from the affected areas.

He said the firefighters immediately commenced operations and requested reinforcement from the Fire Service Headquarters.

Consequently, two additional fire trucks, led by the Director of Operations, Engr. I. A. Adeleke, were deployed to provide backup support.

The combined firefighting teams launched a coordinated operation and successfully extinguished the fire, preventing it from spreading to other shops and neighbouring properties.

Preliminary investigations indicated that the fire might have originated from electrical sparks from an inverter system installed in one of the shops, which subsequently ignited nearby combustible materials.

However, access to the affected area was reportedly hindered by illegal structures and traders’ goods obstructing access roads within the market, making it difficult for firefighting trucks to reach the scene.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Trade, Industry, Investment and Cooperative, Mr Olajide Okesade, was present during the operation.

The agency also acknowledged the support of the Nigeria Police Force, Gbagi Divisional Headquarters, for providing security throughout the firefighting exercise.

Akinwande urged members of the public to remain vigilant and promptly report fire emergencies to prevent avoidable loss of lives and property.

He emphasised the importance of providing and maintaining functional fire extinguishers in shops, market facilities and homes, noting that appropriate equipment could help contain fires at their early stages before they escalate.

He further advised traders and market management to keep access roads free of illegal structures and goods to ensure that fire trucks could move unhindered during emergencies.

Members of the public were also urged to provide clear and accurate addresses when reporting fire incidents to enable firefighters to respond without delay.