- Safiu Kehinde
The popular Oba Market in Benin City, Edo State, has again been razed by fire on Wednesday night, destroying goods worth millions of Naira.
This was disclosed in a post shared on X on Thursday.
The incident reportedly marked the latest in a series of fires to hit the market which was destroyed during the administration of former Governor Godwin Obaseki and was undergoing reconstruction under the current administration of his successor, Monday Okpebholo.
While the cause of the fire remains unknown, eyewitnesses recounted how shop owners who rushed to the scene could only watch helplessly as firefighters and volunteers battled to contain the raging inferno.
Reacting to the development, the Chairman of Oredo Local Government Area, Hon. Gabriel Iduseri, conducted an on-the-spot assessment in the early hours of Thursday.
Iduseri expressed sympathy for the affected traders and pledged the council’s support.
“This is a tragic moment for our people, especially for hardworking traders who depend on this market for their daily bread. We will not leave them to face this alone,” he stated.