Ogun probes market fire

Ogun State Government has vowed to carry out a thorough investigation to ascertain the cause of the fire which destroyed 15 shops and goods worth millions of naira at Oba Lipede International Market, Kuto, Abeokuta, the state capital, on Saturday.

The state Commissioner for Industry, Trade and Investment, Adebola Sofela, made this known during an on-the-spot assessment visit to the market on Monday.

Sofela said that the essence of the investigation is to know what went wrong and how to prevent a recurrence.

He said, “Experts will be deployed to conduct an integrity test on the building of the market to determine the impact of the fire while the government will also not delay rehabilitation of part of the market affected by the inferno.”

The commissioner, accompanied by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Oluola Aikulola, officials of the market’s board, as well as Iyaloja of the Market, Tejumade Bakre, among other market leaders, noted that the main building of the market, which was constructed over 43 years ago will always be protected and maintained given its monumental economic value to the residents of the state

He assured all that the state governor, Dapo Abiodun, would come up with plans to ameliorate the pains of traders whose property was gutted during the inferno.

Decrying the looting of some shops shortly after the incident, Bakre appreciated government and security agents for coming to their rescue.

The fire which started at about 10.15 pm on Saturday, was said to have been caused by the explosion of a generator being powered by gas and owned by a businessman in the market.

The Commissioner for Special Duties, Funmi Efuwape on Sunday told newsmen that 15 shops were affected by the incident.

Efuwape said that the fire started from the illegal structures outside and erupted into the main building saying that the government would consider the demolition of shanties and illegal structures in the market to restore sanity and orderliness.