Traders Lose Millions As Fire Razes Ibadan Auto Spare Parts Market

Several shops and properties at Araromi auto spare parts market, AgodiGate, Ibadan, were destroyed on Saturday as a mosque was also gutted by fire.

The inferno was said to have started at 11:00 pm on Friday and razed over 100 shops, according to an eyewitness.

Investigations on Sunday morning revealed that some of the goods which got burnt down included motor spare parts, tyres, cables, engines, and vehicle accessories.

Speaking with newsmen, Babaloja of Araromi spare parts market, Chief Waheed Azeez, said that the inferno started on Friday night around 11:00pm after everybody had left their shops saying high votage may have caused the inferno.

He said: “It was discovered that there was electricity spark around the tyres due to power surge and the fire escalated. Effort to reach out to the Oyo State Fire Service did not materialise on time and when their personnel arrived, it was a bit late as the inferno had already caused serious destruction.

“We have lost a fortune to this unfortunate incident; investments worth millions of naira have been lost. In fact, most traders here have just restocked their shops. This is a colossal, may God take control.

“We are appealing to the government, especially the Federal Government, to come to our aid because this is beyond the state government. This is a community on his own, we want our kind-hearted governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde, to please help us mitigate this loss because this is a setback for all shop owners here. Also, another victim who is into Toyota spare parts business, Mohammed Adekunle could only count his losses.

“I don’t know where to start because I have lost all my goods to the incident, this is worst thing that has ever happened to me, I’m calling on the state government for help. Personally, I have lost over N500,000 worth of goods to this incident, even most of our colleagues cannot show up because they took loans which they invested in various businesses here. In fact, some are down already in their homes, having lost millions of naira to the incident. Another victim, Mrs Toyin Akinkunmi said both the state and the federal governments need to quickly assist the victims as most of them have lost everything to this incident.

“This is the business we bank on to cater for our children and families, and how do we survive with this sad development?”

Meanwhile, as of the time of filing this report, traders were seen packing off the remnants of the spare parts on the road, while waiting for help from individuals and the authorities to bring succour to them in no time.