The Executive Chairman of Ibadan North Local Government, Hon. Oluwaseun Olufade, has expressed sympathy with traders whose shops and properties were destroyed by a fire outbreak at Bodija Market in Ibadan, Oyo State, in the early hours of Monday, October 19, 2026.
The inferno, which reportedly occurred at about 3:00 a.m., destroyed 16 shops occupied by traders dealing in beans, palm oil, tailoring, radionics and other businesses, leaving the affected traders counting their losses.
In a swift response to the incident, Hon. Olufade dispatched a delegation of top officials of the local government to the scene to assess the extent of the damage, sympathise with the victims and explore possible avenues of intervention to alleviate their losses.
The delegation comprised the Director of Estate, Ibadan North Local Government, Mr Okunlade Adetunji Henry; the Director of Works, Engr. Aremu Ambali; and the Chairman’s Head of Media, Mr Aderibigbe Yisahu Ajibola.
Speaking on behalf of the chairman during the visit, Mr Okunlade Adetunji Henry expressed the local government’s heartfelt sympathy to the traders who lost their shops, goods and other valuable properties to the unfortunate incident.
He thanked God that no lives were reportedly lost in the fire outbreak, noting that the preservation of human lives remained a source of relief amid the material losses suffered by the victims.
The Director of Estate assured the affected traders that Hon. Olufade and the management of the local government would explore possible interventions within their capacity to provide relief and support to those affected by the disaster.
He consequently urged the market representatives to compile and submit a comprehensive list of the affected traders to facilitate proper documentation and consideration of the victims for possible assistance.
The delegation emphasised the importance of accurate documentation in ensuring that every genuine victim was duly identified and considered in the intervention process.
Also speaking during the visit, the Aare Babaloja of Oyo State and Babaloja of Bodija Market, Alhaji S.A. Jimoh, commended the local government chairman for responding to the unfortunate development through his representatives.
Alhaji Jimoh expressed confidence in Hon. Olufade’s willingness to respond to the plight of the affected traders, assuring them that the chairman would explore possible ways of bringing succour to those who had suffered losses.
He, however, cautioned the market representatives against inflating the number of affected traders or manipulating the list of victims, stressing the need for transparency, fairness and accountability throughout the compilation process.
Similarly, the Chairman of the Bodija Market Foodstuff Association, Chief Dauda Adegbenjo Oke Darosa, praised Hon. Olufade for what he described as his responsiveness to the needs and concerns of residents and traders within Ibadan North Local Government.
Chief Adegbenjo Oke Darosa expressed optimism that the local government’s intervention would provide some relief to the victims and urged them to ensure that the list submitted reflected the actual number of traders affected by the inferno.
He reiterated the importance of honesty and cooperation among the market leadership and the victims, noting that a credible record would help facilitate a transparent and orderly process.
