Edith CHUKU
Goods and properties worth millions of naira have been destroyed in an early morning fire outbreak that engulfed popular Oranya Market in Ibadan North-East Local Government Area of Oyo State.
Over 300 shops were destroyed in the devastating fire, affecting businesses such as gold dealers, furniture sellers, clothing merchants, and other traders dealing in valuable goods.
While investigation to unravel the cause of the inferno commences, one of the affected traders, Iya Alia, explained that, “the fire started around midnight. I cannot be specific about that time.
“Those affected were gold sellers, furniture sellers, second-hand clothes sellers and many others. The shops affected were almost 300.”
Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the governor, Seyi Makinde on Fire Reforms and State Chairman of Fire Services, Morof Akinwande, confirmed the incident.
“Yes, it occurred. That number we cannot ascertain, but what is known is that some shops were destroyed and the fire incident started in the middle of the market with an explosion.
“On the number of shops and inventory, that is too early because that’s post-fire outbreak investigation. So, I cannot be accurate about the number of shops that were destroyed. But shops were actually gone.”
This is happening barely two days after a fire incident on Saturday, August 22, 2026, razed nine locked-up shops at the Nigerian Railway shopping complex, located along the popular Aleshinloye Market in Ibadan South-West Local Government Area of Oyo State, according to Punch Online.
