Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has ordered an investigation into the recurring fire outbreaks at Sabo Market in Ore, Odigbo Local Government Area, following a fresh incident that destroyed shops and goods belonging to traders.
Aiyedatiwa, who visited the market on Tuesday to assess the extent of the damage, said the latest incident should not be treated as an isolated occurrence, noting that it was reportedly the third fire outbreak recorded at the market within two years.
The governor expressed relief that no life was lost in the incident, while commending firefighters, residents and other individuals who responded to the emergency and worked to prevent the fire from spreading to other parts of the market.
“Despite the extent of the destruction, my first thought is gratitude to God that no life was lost. I commend our firefighters, the people in the neighbourhood and everyone who responded swiftly to prevent the fire from spreading further,” he said.
Aiyedatiwa directed the Ondo State Emergency Management Agency to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the incident, document the losses and identify traders whose businesses were affected.
He said the findings would guide the state government’s intervention, adding that appropriate assistance would be provided to victims based on the outcome of the assessment.
Beyond providing immediate relief, the governor said his administration was concerned about the repeated occurrence of fire outbreaks at the market and would seek to establish the underlying factors responsible for them.
“We must also understand why this keeps happening. This is reportedly the third fire outbreak at the market in the past two years, and we cannot continue to treat such incidents as isolated occurrences,” Aiyedatiwa said.
He therefore directed relevant authorities to investigate the remote causes of the repeated outbreaks and recommend concrete measures capable of preventing future incidents.
As part of efforts to strengthen emergency response and improve basic infrastructure at the market, the governor also directed the Ministry of Water Resources, Hygiene and Sanitation to identify suitable locations for the installation of boreholes.
According to him, the initiative would help address the water needs of traders while providing an accessible source of water that could support firefighting operations during emergencies.
The governor sympathised with the affected traders, acknowledging the devastating impact of losing goods and businesses to the inferno.
“To our traders in Ore, I understand the pain of watching your goods and means of livelihood go up in flames. We will not leave you alone in this difficult moment,” he said.
Aiyedatiwa assured the traders that the government would support them through the immediate difficulties and work with stakeholders to improve safety and resilience at Sabo Market.
“We will stand with you, support you and work with you to make Sabo Market safer and more resilient,” the governor added.
