A midnight fire on Wednesday destroyed 14 shops at Ogundipe Market and a residential building in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
The Special Adviser to Governor Seyi Makinde on Fire Reform and Chairman of the State Fire Services Agency, Moroof Akinwande, confirmed the incident.
He said the distress call came in at 3:50 a.m., reporting that several shops were already burning.
Akinwande explained that fire personnel, led by CFS Olayiwola T.K., arrived promptly and found 14 out of 42 shops engulfed.
The firefighters managed to stop the flames from spreading further.
“No casualty was recorded. Properties worth billions were saved by the swift response of our officers,” Akinwande stated.
He added that investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of the market fire.
In a separate incident, a four-bedroom flat at Ifesowapo Maternity, Zone 2, Ajoda, Egbeda, was destroyed around 12:42 a.m. on Wednesday.
According to Akinwande, firemen led by ACFS Adisa Wasiu restricted the blaze from spreading to neighboring houses.
He disclosed that the fire was triggered by an electrical surge from a plugged gadget left unattended.
“No lives were lost, but properties worth millions were destroyed,” he added.
The fire chief advised traders and residents to always unplug electrical appliances when not in use, especially at night.
He also urged shop owners to equip their businesses with fire extinguishers to control small outbreaks before they escalate.
He encouraged the public to report fire emergencies with accurate addresses via the state’s hotlines: 08067439223, 08054353501, or 615.
The back-to-back fire outbreaks have raised concerns over safety in Ibadan markets and residential areas.
Officials say negligence with electrical appliances remains a leading cause of such disasters.
Many residents now want the state government to intensify awareness campaigns to reduce avoidable losses.
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