Victims of the devastating fire that swept through the popular Bode Traditional Herbs and Other Products Market, popularly known as Iso Alagbo, in Ibadan South-West Local Government Area of Oyo State, are counting their losses after the inferno destroyed shops and goods worth millions of naira.
The fire, which broke out in the early hours of Friday, reportedly started in one of the shops before spreading rapidly to adjoining stalls, destroying large quantities of herbs, traditional medicine products and other merchandise before firefighters brought it under control.
Although the exact cause of the incident had yet to be officially determined as of the time of filing this report, affected traders said the blaze wiped out investments accumulated over several years.
The incident threw the market into panic as traders watched helplessly while flames engulfed their shops. Many lamented the destruction of their livelihoods, with some breaking down in tears over the magnitude of the losses.
One of the affected traders, identified simply as Mama Kaila, described the fire as one of the worst disasters to hit the market in recent years.
“It has been a long time since we experienced this kind of incident in the market. The market leadership always advises us to be careful with the electrical appliances in our various shops. Our losses cannot be quantified. All I can say for now is that they run into millions of naira,” she said.
She, however, expressed gratitude that no life was lost in the incident.
“We thank God that no life was lost. I also thank the officials of the Oyo State Fire Service for their prompt response,” she added.
Officials of the Oyo State Fire Service were said to have responded swiftly to the emergency, containing the blaze and preventing it from spreading to other sections of the busy market.
While the full extent of the damage is yet to be officially assessed, affected traders appealed to the Oyo State Government and public-spirited individuals to assist them in rebuilding their businesses.
Meanwhile, relief has begun to reach the victims, with the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, donating ₦25 million to support traders affected by the fire.
The Oyo State APC Women Leader, Dr. Adekemi Opatunde, also visited the market and donated ₦5 million, alongside 15,000 nose masks, to support the victims.
Similarly, the governorship candidate of the Allied People’s Movement (APM), Bimbo Adekanmbi, donated ₦2.5 million to assist traders as they begin the process of recovering from the disaster.
