The Aleshinloye Market in Ibadan, Oyo State, has been plagued by a major concern – the lack of a functional fire station within the market premises.
Aleshinloye market issue came to the forefront after a devastating fire incident on Tuesday, which destroyed goods worth millions of naira and affected parts of the market.
The fire incident, which occurred on Tuesday, has left traders counting their losses. The fire, which started around 9:00 p.m., quickly spread due to the lack of a functional fire station within the market premises. Traders alleged that the office of the Oyo State Fire Service within the market was being used to store goods instead of serving its purpose.
Traders at the market are expressing their frustration and disappointment over the lack of a functional fire station. One trader, Mr. Lukman Balogun, alleged that when the fire started, the fire service men at the station didn’t have the necessary equipment and had to call their headquarters, which delayed their response. “There are about 2,000 shops in this market, and it is disheartening that there is no functional fire station in the market,” he said.
The traders are now calling on Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State to provide a functional fire station at the market to prevent future occurrences. They emphasized that a functional fire station would have prevented the massive destruction caused by the fire incident. Another victim, Mr. AbdulLateef Atobatele, described the situation as unfortunate and emphasized that if the fire station had been functional, the situation would have been brought under control before it escalated.
The Chairman of the Oyo State Fire Services Agency, Dr. Moroof Akinwande, sympathized with the victims and explained that the agency’s officials at the market station received a distress call and immediately contacted the headquarters. However, he also mentioned that the lack of functional firefighting trucks was due to hoodlums attacking and destroying their equipment. “Hoodlums had attacked and destroyed no fewer than four of our firefighting trucks within a space of one year due to their emotions whenever fire incidents occur,” he said.
Fire safety is a critical concern for markets and business premises. The lack of a functional fire station at the Aleshinloye Market highlights the need for adequate fire safety measures. The Oyo State Government must take immediate action to provide a functional fire station at the market to prevent future fire incidents.
In conclusion, the lack of a functional fire station at the Aleshinloye Market in Ibadan is a major concern that must be addressed immediately. The traders are calling on the Oyo State Government to provide a functional fire station at the market to prevent future fire incidents. The government must take immediate action to ensure the safety of traders and their goods.
