By Bukola Hameed
Over ten million naira worth of goods have been reportedly lost to a fire incident which occurred at a section of Sabo market, Oyo town.
The cause of the fire that started around 10pm on Tuesday remains unknown. News Live Nigeria gathered that there was no electricity at the shops affected and cooking gas wasn’t in use as at the time of the ugly incident.
It was learnt that eleven shops were totally razed, and that nobody was able to move out anything as the fire raged fiercely, putting off every one that dared to.
Meanwhile, the timely intervention of the fire servicemen in Oyo saved the entire market from being engulfed.
According to the chairman of Sabo market, Alhaji Akibu Alarape, “at around 10pm on Tuesday night, the security man on duty put a call across to me and immediately I got to the market, the fire servicemen arrived around 10.30pm. When their water was exhausted , they improvised by making use of the VIP bore hole water. Actually, it was their intervention that saved us.”
Two men whose big grinding machines got burnt, Mr Salawu Mukaila, the Baale Ipekun of Sakutu and Mr Okunlola Oyadokun, put their loss at around 1.5 million naira.
Mr Adeyemi Tajudeen, Kaosara Ganiyu, Ayoola Akaanji, Mrs Mosobalaje Aduke, Alhaja Fali Ismail, Suliya Ayantunde, Mutiat Jelili, Bilikisu Saidi, Rashidat Adeyanju, Rashidat Mustopha, Muiba Yekini, Fatima Adeleke and Fausat Nurudeen were among clothe merchants, gaari, yam flour, rice and vegetable oil sellers whose shops were razed.
They lamented, ” our means of livelihood are gone. We couldn’t take our materials as they burn under our watch. This is terrible. Two Sewing machines were burnt. Elubo, gaari, beans meant for Lagos on Wednesday were all lostt to the fire.
One Mrs Taiwo Igundairo who sells rubber mats said, “she’s ruined as all her goods were lost in one night”.
News Live Nigeria however gathered that the chairman of Sooro LCDA and his team have visited the market early on Wednesday to assess the level of damage and loss, with a view to supposedly extend relief hands to them.
