Early Morning Fire Destroys Shops at Oranya Market in Ibadan
About 300 shops have reportedly been destroyed in an early Monday morning fire at the popular Oranya Market in Ibadan North-East Local Government Area of Oyo State. The fire, which reportedly started around midnight, affected several retail shops in the market. Eyewitnesses said traders dealing in gold, furniture and second-hand clothing were among those affected. A trader identified as Iya Alia said the fire started around midnight, although she could not confirm the exact time. Another eyewitness described the incident as devastating, saying close to 300 shops may have been destroyed. However, the Oyo State Government says the exact number of affected shops has not yet been established. The Special Adviser to Governor Seyi Makinde on Fire Reforms and State Chairman of Fire Services, Morof Akinwande, confirmed the incident. He said the fire reportedly started in the middle of the market following an explosion, adding that it could have involved gas, although the exact cause remains subject to investigation. According to him, firefighters brought the situation under control around 1 a.m. Akinwande said it was too early to determine the exact number of shops destroyed or the value of goods lost, noting that such details would form part of the post-fire investigation. The latest incident comes amid a series of market fires recorded in Ibadan.
In 2024, more than 200 shops were reportedly destroyed by fire in the herbal section of the same market. Also, on Saturday, August 22, nine locked-up shops at the Nigerian Railway shopping complex near Aleshinloye Market in Ibadan South-West Local Government Area were destroyed by fire. Goods and properties worth millions of naira were reportedly lost in that incident. One affected trader, Busari Olayemi, said his interior decoration business lost products and equipment estimated at about 21 million naira, including window blinds, curtain fabrics and industrial sewing machines. Authorities are expected to investigate the latest Oranya Market fire to determine its exact cause and assess the extent of the damage.
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