Traders Lament As Fire Destroys Goods Worth N50 Million At Timber Market In Ogun

About N50 million worth of goods were on Thursday destroyed, following an outbreak of fire at a timber market in Sango-Ota, Ado-Odo LGA of Ogun State.

The cause of the fire is still unknown, but some of the traders who spoke with THE WHISTLER said the fire outbreak, which started at exactly 10:05 a.m, began at a foam shop in the market.

At least fifteen shops were completely razed by the fire, leaving the shop owners very sad. The devastated traders are seeking help from the Ogun State governor, Dapo Abiodun and good spirited Nigerians.

The Chairman of the market, Abdulsobur Folorunsho, said it took the intervention of the fire tankers from Indomie Noodles office and the LGA headquarters to bring the fire under control.

“About fifteen shops were affected,” Folorunsho said,” adding that about “N50 million worth of goods were lost to the fire.”

He informed that the traders affected were those selling foams, furniture, pallets, planks, and tyres.

Shakirat Olayiwola could not take anything out of her two shops. She had gone for prayer. According to her, she lost about N30 million worth of foams.

Olayiwola who is trading with over N10 million loan said: “I was not around when the fire started.”

“I need help. Whether loan or any support, because I’m nothing for now,” the trader who obviously had cried her eyes out, said.

Abosede Bakare is another trader who lost her goods to the fire incident. Bakare who sells planks told THE WHISTLER that she was trying to attend to a customer when the fire broke out.

Bakare’s husband died in October 2021. And ever since then, she has been the breadwinner of her family. She lost goods worth N350,000.

“I lost about N350,000 (worth of goods),” she said. “I want the government to help me because I’m a widow. My husband died about two years ago. October will make it two years that my husband died,” Bakare stated.

Esther Jimoh sells planks at the market. She lost one shop to the fire incident. Jimoh who has been trading with loan from a commercial bank, used her mother’s house as collateral.

She fears that she might lose the house to the bank, because she lost goods worth over N2 million to the fire outbreak.

“I’ve one shop,” Jimoh who was looking very dejected told THE WHISTLER. “I was asleep when the incident occurred. My shop was at the back of the foam shop.

“Out of goods of N2 million plus, I couldn’t even bring anything out. What I’m just begging the governor to do is that he should just assist me, because some of us here are using loans to trade.”

For Salifat Badmus, she lost pallets worth N600,000 to the fire incident. Badmus was not around when the fire broke out. She rushed down to the market after she was informed via phone call.

“I lost my two shops with goods worth N600,000. I want the government to help me. I’ve five children, and the money I lost is actually a loan,” Badmus who deals in foreign pallets told THE WHISTLER.

Another trader, Collins Onoviorna, said he lost goods worth over N2 million. Onoviorna who was the first to notice smoke oozing out from the foam shop, stated that because of the rage of the fire, they could not do anything when it started.

Just like Onoviorna, Soyokomi Akeem said the fire destroyed planks worth over N2 million in his shop.

“I just bought goods last month,” he said.