From Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
Multimillion naira goods of various categories have been razed by fire in 38 shops at the popular Bodija Market in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
Witnesses said the goods in the affected shops were completely razed before officers and men of the Oyo State Fire Service could render any help.
The inferno reportedly began around 4.30am, yesterday. They said the first sign they saw was heavy smoke, which later snowballed into a thick flame.
The fire, they said, started from the Ori-Ile end of the market. But the cause of the fire incident was described as a mystery by some traders who spoke to journalists.
However, many traders rushed to the market when they heard about the incident with a view to preventing criminals from taking advantage of the incident to loot their shops. Victims of the incident lamented their losses and called for support from the state government and other well-meaning Nigerians.
But some of the traders commended the fire fighters for their timely response, adding they prevented the inferno from spreading to other parts of the market.
A trader in the market, who identified himself as Abdullahi Akande, said: “I heard about the fire incident around 5am. I rushed down to this place immediately.
“But how the fire started I did not know. But my shop was on fire when I got here. I could not move closer. But everything had been completely razed in the shop before help came from firefighters.
“Honestly, I don’t know where to start again. Everything is gone. Again, I kept a large sum of money in the shop because I did not want to spend it during the Ileya festival. I will not disclose the amount because people will blame me.
“If I had known, I would have taken the money home. Let me appeal to the government and individuals to help us to start life again.”
Also, one other inmate who escaped during the recent jailbreak has been recaptured by the police command in Niger State.
The state command’s Police Public Relation’s Officer (PPRO), DSP Wasiu Abiodun, in a statement issued in Minna, yesterday, said that a patrol team on surveillance between the General Hospital, Suleja, and Bakassi, arrested the inmate on Saturday, at about 8:30pm.
He explained that based on credible intelligence, the police patrol team stormed an identified compound and arrested one Kazeem Murtala, aged 54 years.
When interrogated, the inmate confessed that he escaped from Kuje Custodial Centre during last Tuesday’s attack by terrorists, adding that he had been in custody for two years for an offence he committed.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, Niger Command, Mr Monday Bala Kuryas, has commended the efforts of the patrol team.
The statement quoted Kuryas as directing that the inmate should be handed back to the custodial centre, which has been complied with.
The CP equally appreciated members of the public for giving useful intelligence to the police which facilitated the quick arrest of the fleeing fugitive.
The command urged residents to continue to support with reliable information that could aid in apprehending other suspected criminals and to combat crime and criminality in the state.