Fire razed some parts of Lipede International Market, in Kuto area of Abeokuta on Saturday night.
Gatekeepers News reports that no fewer than fifteen shops were burnt to the raging fire.
According to reports, the fire started from one of the makeshift shops and later spread to some of the shops in the main market building, around 10 pm.
It is believed that a power outage was the cause of the fire which was traced to a palm kernel shop in one of the makeshift shops.
Goods worth several millions of naira including rice, plantains, and other daily needs were destroyed in the inferno.
According to sources, a couple named Basiru and Tolani Moses lost a sum of N500,000 cash, and other goods worth N1.5m.
The couple said they intended on depositing the cash sum in the bank, on Monday morning.
Commissioner for Special Duties, Mrs
Funmi Efuwape; the Director of the State Emergency Management Agency (OGSEMA), Wale Sonde; the Director of State Fire Service, Fatai Adefala, and the Chairman of Abeokuta South Local Government, Omolaja Majekodunmi visited the incident scene for an on the spot assessment, on Sunday morning.
The Director of OGSEMA said, “The fire outbreak was just because of these shanties erected outside the main market building. Now that they (traders) have seen it for themselves, I am sure when the government comes in and tells them that all these shanties must go, definitely, they will agree with us that they have to go.”
“About ten shops were affected outside and five inside. The five would not have been affected if the ones outside were not there. The fire started from the illegal structures outside and erupted to the main building.”
He noted that the market building would undergo an integrity test to ascertain its safety, adding that the government will roll out measures to renovate the market.
Sonde further noted that NEMA officials will visit the market to assess damages and decide on how to assist the victims, on Monday morning.
Sonde added that the incident caused both physical, economic, and psychological damages.u
