OYO HANDS OVER 88 REBUILT SHOPS TO ALESINLOYE MARKET FIRE VICTIMS

The Oyo State Government has handed over 88 newly reconstructed shops free of charge to traders affected by the fire outbreak at Alesinloye Market in Ibadan.

The handover ceremony took place on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, with the Executive Chairman of Ibadan South-West Local Government, Kehinde Adeyemi Akande, representing Governor Seyi Makinde.

Akande said the exercise fulfilled the governor’s promise to rebuild the affected section of the market and return the shops to their original owners without charging them.

The fire outbreak occurred in the early hours of March 11, 2026, in the market’s plastic and rubber section, destroying several shops and goods worth millions of naira.

Following the incident, Makinde visited the market to sympathise with the affected traders and promised government intervention to restore their businesses.

According to Akande, the government also approved an immediate relief payment of ₦250,000 to each affected trader to cushion the impact of their losses.

He described the reconstructed section as better organised, with improved access roads designed to make movement within the market safer and easier.

GOVERNMENT INTRODUCES NEW FIRE SAFETY MEASURES

Beyond rebuilding the shops, the local government chairman disclosed that measures had been introduced to prevent a recurrence of the incident.

These include plans to reconstruct the market’s fire station and permanently deploy local government safety officers to monitor compliance with fire safety regulations.

The officers are expected to monitor the market environment and ensure that traders observe necessary safety standards.

A former member of the House of Representatives, Saheed Akinade-Fijabi, commended the government for fulfilling its promise and urged beneficiaries to maintain the reconstructed facilities.

He explained that the 88 shops corresponded with the number of traders captured on the verified list compiled after the fire outbreak.

Speaking on behalf of the traders, Taiwo Sekinat Bisola, who represented the Babaloja of Alesinloye Market, thanked the state government for the intervention.

She described the reconstruction as a major relief for the affected traders, saying it would help them return to business and restore their livelihoods.

She also appealed to the beneficiaries to maintain the shops and observe safety regulations to prevent another fire outbreak.

The handover marks the completion of the government’s reconstruction intervention for the 88 traders affected by the March fire incident.