Ibadan Fire: Millions Lost as Early Morning Blaze Destroys Shops in Bodija

Properties worth millions of naira have been destroyed after a fire ripped through a row of shops in Ibadan, Oyo State, in the early hours of Friday.

The incident occurred at Saki Garage, directly opposite Trans Amusement Park in the Bodija area, leaving four out of eleven shops badly affected.

According to the Oyo State Fire Service, the fire was reported at 2:07am. Emergency crews arrived promptly and were able to prevent the blaze from spreading to neighbouring shops and buildings.

“No casualty was recorded,” confirmed Hon. Maroof Akinwande, Chairman of the Oyo State Fire Service. “The remote cause of the fire was traced to lit embers left unattended after the close of shop in the night, which ignited nearby combustibles and set the place on fire.”

He praised officers from the Amotekun Bodija Division for providing security during the firefighting operation and advised residents to prioritise fire safety.

“I advise the public to be conscious of fire,” he said. “It is important to have our fire service emergency numbers saved on smartphones, and every household should install fire extinguishers to prevent imminent disasters.”

The fire service listed its emergency contacts as 08067439223, 08054353501, or 615.

While no lives were lost, traders counted heavy financial losses as goods and properties worth millions of naira were reduced to ashes.