NIGERIA: Fire Guts Ibadan’s Bode Market

By Ameenat Hamzat, Lagos, Nigeria

An early morning fire on Friday razed sections of the popular Bode Market in Ibadan, Oyo State, destroying shops and goods worth millions of naira.

The cause of the inferno had yet to be determined as of the time of filing this report.

The blaze caused extensive damage, leaving many traders counting their losses after their shops and merchandise were consumed by the fire.

Videos from the scene showed emotional traders, including market men and women, weeping as they assessed the destruction and the remains of their businesses.

Firefighters were deployed to the market and eventually brought the fire under control, preventing it from spreading to other sections of the busy commercial hub.

However, emergency responders encountered difficulties accessing parts of the market due to its congested layout and clusters of closely built shops, which hampered firefighting operations.

Bode Market is one of the largest markets in Ibadan and serves as a major trading centre for herbs, animal skins and other traditional products. It attracts traders from across the South-West and other parts of the country.

As of press time, no casualties had been reported, while authorities were yet to determine the cause of the fire or provide an estimate of the total value of the losses.