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Akinola Market, a weekly marketplace in Ipetumodu, Osun State, was engulfed by fire, destroying goods worth millions of naira.
The incident, which occurred late on Friday, caused panic among traders who had all gone home after the day’s activities. Many rushed back to the market in distress after receiving calls about the inferno.
A trader, who preferred to remain anonymous for security reasons, said the cause of the fire had not been determined, adding that the section affected was where tubers of yam were stored.
“I was called late on Friday. I had left the market about four hours earlier. The part affected is the stalls where yam sellers usually keep their produce.
“Those who contacted us also informed NSCDC operatives, and they responded. But the destruction was massive,” the trader explained.
When contacted for a reaction on Saturday, the Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Kehinde Adeleke, suggested the fire might have been caused by refuse burning.
Adeleke said, “Akinola Market in Ipetumodu was gutted by a late-night fire on Friday, 10th January 2025. The fire broke out in a section of the market where foodstuffs, particularly yams, were being sold.
“Properties and foodstuffs worth millions of naira were destroyed. Preliminary investigations revealed that the fire started from refuse set ablaze by yet-to-be-identified individuals after the close of business on Friday.
“Akinola Market is a weekly market held every Friday. After the last market day, traders collected their refuse for burning but negligently left the fire unextinguished before heading home, which led to the inferno. Upon receiving a distress call, we immediately deployed operatives to the scene.”
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