Fire fighters trying to put out the fire

By Jethro Ibileke

Goods worth millions of naira were destroyed in an early morning fire that razed Oba market, in Benin, the Edo state capital.

The incident is coming barely few days after the traders were directed to return from the makeshift market to their respective market places.

It was learnt that the fire which started in the wee hours of Monday, destroyed hundreds of shops, including clothes and cosmetics lines.

As at the time of filing this report, the cause of the fire was yet to be ascertained.

Combined efforts of firefighters from the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company Fire Service, Federal Fire Service, Edo State Fire Service and the Nigerian Army School of Supply and Transport, finally brought the fire under control.

Recounting her loss, one of the traders, Edith Amayo, who sells clothes, said she could not salvage any of her goods as her shop was completely burnt.

“They called me around 1am today that Oba market is on fire. Reaching here, we could not find any of our goods.

She appealed to the government and well-meaning Nigerians to provide assistance.

Another trader who deals on cosmetics, who gave her name simply as Habib, said she lost goods worth millions of naira.

“The fire consumed all my wares. I do not have anything in my store, all my commodities were burnt,” she lamented.

Confirming the incident, the Assistant Controller-General of the Federal Fire Service, Samson Karebo, said he received a distress call from the Chief Security Officer attached to the government house in Benin and quickly mobilised his men to the market.