A fire outbreak on Thursday night destroyed no fewer than 12 shops in the Araromi section of the Agodi-Gate area of Ibadan, Oyo State.
The incident occurred around 10:55 p.m. at Block A, No. 64, Mayegun Cement Store Market and lasted for over three hours before it was brought under control.
Eyewitnesses reported that the blaze, which caused damage worth several millions of naira, was likely triggered by an electrical surge near flammable materials.
Confirming the incident on Friday, the General Manager of the Oyo State Fire Service, Yemi Akinyinka, said the agency received a distress call at 11:02 p.m. and responded immediately.
“Our team, led by CFS Jimoh, arrived to find several shops already engulfed.
We quickly took action to contain the fire and prevent it from spreading further,” he said.
According to Akinyinka, 12 shops were affected, but fire personnel managed to save other properties estimated to be worth billions of naira.
The firefighting team concluded operations and returned to base at 3:18 a.m.