Retail to the tune of hundreds were destroyed by an early Monday morning fire at the popular Oranyan Market in Ibadan North-East Local Government Area of Oyo State.

Affected traders, according to an eyewitness, included gold sellers, furniture dealers, second-hand clothes sellers and others.

A trader, simply identified as Iya Alia while speaking with Punch, said, “The fire started around midnight. I cannot be specific about that time. And those affected were gold sellers, furniture sellers, second-hand clothes sellers and many others. The shops affected were almost 300.”

Another eyewitness, who pleaded anonymity, said, “This is devastating. This is huge. I don’t even know how to explain it. Close to 300 shops were destroyed.”

The Special Adviser to Governor Seyi Makinde on Fire Reforms and State Chairman of Fire Services, Morof Akinwande, when contacted via telephone on Monday, confirmed the incident.

He said, “Yes, it occurred. That number we cannot ascertain, but what is known is that some shops were destroyed and the fire incident started in the middle of the market with an explosion.

“Whether it’s a gas explosion or other things. And when you have a gas explosion, it would spread, but as I am talking to you, the situation has been under control since 1 am.

“On the number of shops and inventory, that is too early because that’s post-fire outbreak investigation. So, I cannot be accurate about the number of shops that were destroyed. But shops were actually gone.”

Recall that a similar incident occurred at the herbal section of the market in 2024, when over 200 shops were completely razed.

It will also be recalled that a fire incident on Saturday, August 22, 2026, razed nine locked-up shops at the Nigerian Railway shopping complex, located along the popular Aleshinloye Market in Ibadan South-West Local Government Area of Oyo State.

Retail to the tune of hundreds were destroyed by an early Monday morning fire at the popular Oranyan Market in Ibadan North-East Local Government Area of Oyo State.

Affected traders, according to an eyewitness, included gold sellers, furniture dealers, second-hand clothes sellers and others.

A trader, simply identified as Iya Alia while speaking with Punch, said, “The fire started around midnight. I cannot be specific about that time. And those affected were gold sellers, furniture sellers, second-hand clothes sellers and many others. The shops affected were almost 300.”

Another eyewitness, who pleaded anonymity, said, “This is devastating. This is huge. I don’t even know how to explain it. Close to 300 shops were destroyed.”

The Special Adviser to Governor Seyi Makinde on Fire Reforms and State Chairman of Fire Services, Morof Akinwande, when contacted via telephone on Monday, confirmed the incident.

He said, “Yes, it occurred. That number we cannot ascertain, but what is known is that some shops were destroyed and the fire incident started in the middle of the market with an explosion.

“Whether it’s a gas explosion or other things. And when you have a gas explosion, it would spread, but as I am talking to you, the situation has been under control since 1 am.

“On the number of shops and inventory, that is too early because that’s post-fire outbreak investigation. So, I cannot be accurate about the number of shops that were destroyed. But shops were actually gone.”

Recall that a similar incident occurred at the herbal section of the market in 2024, when over 200 shops were completely razed.

It will also be recalled that a fire incident on Saturday, August 22, 2026, razed nine locked-up shops at the Nigerian Railway shopping complex, located along the popular Aleshinloye Market in Ibadan South-West Local Government Area of Oyo State.