A fire outbreak in the early hours of Monday devastated 17 shops at the popular Moniya Market in Akinyele Local Government Area, Oyo State, leading to the loss of goods worth millions of naira, News About Nigeria reports.
Eyewitnesses stated that the fire began around 12:30 a.m., attributed to a power surge.
During a visit to the scene, newsmen observed the extent of the destruction, with valuable goods and cash reduced to ashes.
The Babaloja of Moniya Garage, Kolawole Balogun, and the Chairman of the Garage, Saliu Bello, recounted that they were alerted to the fire by a security guard.
Balogun said, “I rushed to the market as soon as I got the call. We lost multimillion-naira worth of goods. The prompt arrival of the fire service prevented even greater devastation.
“In addition to the goods, cash amounting to millions of naira was also destroyed. Many traders often store their money in their shops when they leave for the night.”
Several victims, including Yetunde Musa, Ajetunmobi Idowu, Olaide Badmus, Balogun Sulaimon, and Ajetunmobi Kolawole, have called on the government for immediate assistance to help those affected rebuild their businesses.
