Oyo govt to assess Oranyan Market fire damage, support victims

By Adejayan Gbenga

The Oyo State Government has expressed sympathy with traders and residents affected by the fire outbreak at Oranyan Market in Ibadan, assuring victims of immediate support and measures to restore the affected areas.

The Acting Governor, Abdulraheem Adebayo Lawal, described the incident as a major setback for traders who lost their goods and sources of livelihood in the fire.

Lawal, in a statement issued Monday by his Special Adviser on Media, Sulaimon Olanrewaju, said the government was working with relevant emergency agencies to assess the extent of the damage caused by the fire.

He sympathised with the affected traders, their families and the wider Oranyan Market community, saying the government understood the hardship caused by the destruction of their businesses.

Meanwhile, Lawal said emergency response teams had been deployed to assess the situation, while the government was considering immediate relief measures for victims whose goods and businesses were destroyed.

He added that the government’s intervention would go beyond emergency assistance, as steps would also be taken to support the restoration of the affected portions of the market and reduce the risk of a recurrence.

The acting governor commended the Oyo State Fire Service and other security agencies for their swift response, while urging traders and residents to remain calm as the government assessed the damage and worked toward providing assistance.

Lawal reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to supporting affected traders and restoring normalcy at the market, assuring victims that it would continue to work with relevant agencies to address the impact of the fire.