No fewer than eight shops were destroyed by a fire outbreak in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, leading to the loss of goods and properties valued at several millions of naira.
The incident occurred on Monday at a shopping complex located within the Sango Police Divisional Headquarters area. Eyewitnesses said the inferno spread rapidly through the affected shops before emergency responders could bring the situation under control.
As of the time of filing this report, the exact cause of the fire remains unknown. Authorities have commenced investigations to determine the origin of the blaze and assess the full extent of the damage.
Confirming the incident, the Special Adviser to the Oyo State Governor on Fire Service Reform and Agency Chairman, Hon. Moroof Adebayo Akinwande, said personnel of the state fire service were promptly mobilised to the scene to contain the fire and prevent it from spreading to nearby structures.
He assured residents and business owners that the state government would continue to strengthen fire prevention and response mechanisms, while urging the public to observe safety precautions to reduce the risk of similar incidents.