0
Goods worth millions of naira were destroyed in a fire outbreak that engulfed parts of the popular Bode Market in Ibadan in the early hours of Friday.
The inferno razed several shops, destroying goods and property valued at millions of naira, leaving many traders counting their losses.
As of the time of filing this report, the cause of the fire had yet to be determined.
Eyewitnesses said the blaze spread rapidly through sections of the market before firefighters arrived at the scene.
Many affected traders, including market men and women, were seen in tears as they watched the remains of their shops and wares.
Firefighters were promptly deployed to the market and eventually brought the situation under control, preventing the fire from spreading to other sections of the market.
However, firefighting operations were hampered by the congested layout of the market and the closely packed clusters of shops, which made access to the affected areas difficult.
Bode Market, one of the largest markets in Ibadan, is widely known as a major trading hub for herbs, animal skins, and other traditional products.
Authorities had yet to release an official estimate of the losses or confirm whether any casualties were recorded as investigations into the cause of the incident continued.
