Fire Guts New Market In Oyo, Goods Worth Millions Lost

Barely twenty-four hours after a section of the royal Palace of the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Olayiwola Adeyemi III was razed by fire, another major fire incident occurred at the New Gbagi Market in Ibadan in the early hours of Thursday destroying goods and property worth millions of naira.

Thursday’s fire disaster at the market, popularly called Bola Ige International Market, Ibadan, was also coming barely few days after such sad incident at the Ifeleye market, also in Ibadan which was gutted on Monday.


Eye witness accounts revealed that the fire at the Bola Ige International Market  started at about 1 am and lasted for hours before men of the State Fire Service were able to curtail it.

Specifically, the fire which started from the section where stoves and cookers are being sold destroyed about 24 shops at the market.

But the main cause of the fire was yet to be ascertained just as traders at the market have started counting their losses.

In the meantime, Oyo State Commissioner for Environment and Habitat, Barrister Lowo Obisesan has disclosed that the state government had already provided a new place at Olorunsogo area of Ibadan for traders in Agbeni-Ogunpa-Amunugun-Agbaje market .

Disclosing this shortly after removing over 200 illegal shanties and shops in Ogunpa, Ibadan, the commissioner said it was unlawful to put structure on the water channels and water ways saying that it was not safe for people to trade along Ogunpa river.
According to the commissioner, it was in this regard that the government resolved to make available a better place for the  traders  and they are expected to move there when it is ready.

He Equally gave traders in Ogunpa market and Ibadan South-West Local Government a 7-day ultimatum  to either clear the Ogunpa drainage or be sealed.

Meanwhile the Caretaker Chairman of Ibadan South-West Local government, Mr. Wasiu Olatubosun has promised to adhere to the instruction of the state ministry of environment and habitat and ensure that the Ogunpa is cleared.