A devastating fire swept through Mandate Market in Ilorin early Tuesday morning, destroying dozens of shops and goods worth millions of naira.
Traders and residents attempted to battle the flames themselves before firefighters arrived at the scene. Chaos and panic gripped the popular market as the inferno spread rapidly.
Alhaji Murtala Tambaruku, the Babalola of Mandate Market, spoke to our reporters about the disaster. He said traders lost property valued at several million naira in the blaze.
"Many affected traders were devastated, with some collapsing when they saw what happened," he told us. "One rice seller had just received over five million naira worth of stock yesterday."
According to Tambaruku, the walls and shop structures were completely razed to the ground. Not a single affected trader managed to salvage anything from the inferno.
Goods destroyed included rice, vegetable oil, alcoholic beverages, pharmaceuticals and electronic gadgets. The losses cut deep for business owners already struggling in the current economy.
Kwara State Fire Service received a distress call at 4:44 a.m. and immediately dispatched personnel to the location. Fire Service spokesperson Hassan Adekunle confirmed the deployment in a statement to journalists.
According to Adekunle, over 200 shops operate in that section of the market. Only 24 shops were completely destroyed by the fire.
Officials attributed the severe damage to how long it took for help to arrive. By the time firefighters reached the scene, flames had already consumed a massive area.
"Our firefighters showed exceptional bravery and skill in fighting the blaze," Adekunle noted. "They prevented the fire from spreading further across the entire market."
Fire Service investigators determined that a power surge triggered the incident. It began in a shop selling mobile phone accessories and charging services.
"From there, it jumped to neighboring shops stocked with food and other merchandise," according to Adekunle. "That's when it spread so fast."
Kwara State Fire Service Director Alabi Muhammed visited the market around 10 a.m. He came to express sympathy to victims and assess the full extent of damage.
During his visit, Muhammed met with market leadership representatives. He promised the agency would support recovery and prevention efforts going forward.
Muhammed urged all market operators to install fire safety equipment immediately. These should include fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, sprinkler systems and electrical protection devices.
Fire alarms are equally critical, he stressed to assembled market leaders. Prevention is far cheaper than dealing with disasters like Tuesday's fire.
Adekunle reminded traders about the Fire Service's annual safety awareness programs. These training sessions are offered regularly across markets throughout Kwara State.
He called on all traders to comply with the agency's safety recommendations. Following best practices today could prevent tragedies tomorrow, he emphasized.
