No fewer than 17 shops were razed at the Moniya market in Ibadan, Oyo state capital early Monday morning.
Blueprint learnt that in the fire incident, goods worth millions of naira were burnt.
Sources at the market said the fire started around 12:35 am as a result of suspected power surge.
According to the Baba Loja of Moniya Garage and Chairman of the Garage, Kolawole Balogun and Saliu Bello, respectively, the security guard at the market called around 12:30 am, informing them of the fire incident in the market.
The Babaloja said, “I immediately moved to the market when I received phone call. We lost multimillionaire goods. Immediately arrival of fire service men even saved other shops. It would have been more than that.”
Also, the Chairman of the garage on his part said, “Apart from goods, cash worth millions of naira were also destroyed. You know some market men and women, sometimes, kept their money in the shops while going home.”
Victims of the fire incident were seen gathering in groups around the market discussing the havoc wrecked by the fire incident
Others were sighted parking the remaining part of their burnt property in and around the shops as at the time of filling this story.
Government authorities were yet to comment on the incident.
