•Report by Kamil Opeyemi
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has commiserated with traders who lost their goods in the Akere Spare Parts Market in Ajegunle area of Lagos State on Wednesday.
In a statement by the Commissioner for Information in the state, Gbenga Omotosho, he said Governor Sanwo-Olu was shocked by the incident which resulted in the loss of goods worth millions and death if a 65- year old security guard.
“Mr. Governor, on behalf of the government, genuinely shares their grief. He has ordered a probe into the fire, which emergency workers have put out.
“Besides, Mr. Governor implores Lagosians to desist from attributing the unfortunate incident to any political party or its agents. Those who are struggling to make political gains from the incident are being mischievous.
“It is shameful to take advantage of the misfortune of others to feather some political nests,” Omotosho quoted Governor Sanwo-Olu as saying
NPO Reported earlier the inferno at the Akere Spare Parts Market, Olodi-Apapa in the Ajegunle area of the state during which some shops were reportedly razed.
It was gathered that the fire outbreak occurred around 3:28 in the wee hours of Wednesday.
Confirming the outbreak, the Lagos State Fire Service Director, Margaret Adeseye, said the Service was alerted of the fire outbreak at about 03:28 on Wednesday.
“At about 03:28 Wednesday wee hours, a Fire outbreak was alerted to Akere Spare Parts Market, Kirikiri Road, Akere Bus Stop, Olodi-Apapa, Ajegunle, Lagos that saw the Ajegunle Fire Station of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service as first respondent.
“Upon arrival, it was discovered that rows of shops that traded in auto spare parts was well alight that led to Sari-Iganmu and Ilupeju Fire Crews of the Agency joining up to subdued the raging Fire and salvage a nearby major market Petroleum Filling Station with a fully loaded 33,000 liters PMS tanker amongst other adjoining buildings.
“However, a male adult was recovered by the Tolu Police Division of the Nigerian Police around the scene while the Lagos Neighborhood and Safety Corps and the Red Cross were also in attendance.”
She added that, the cause of the Fire will required details investigation to ascertained as well as post incident enumeration to account for the number of lockup shops and wares lost.
In it’s reaction, the state’s police command through it’s image maker, Benjamin Hundeyin confirmed that 65-year-old security guard lost his life in the fire incident.
Hundeyin said investigation had commenced into the suspected arson.
He said the Commissioner of Police in the state, Idowu Owohunwa urged Lagosians to remain calm as the State Criminal Investigation Department has been directed to take over investigation towards unravelling the true circumstances surrounding the attack.
He equally called for restraints in giving any form of extraneous coloration to the incident, while assuring that the outcome of the investigation will be made public.