by Omowumi Omotosho
A devastating fire broke out on Friday night at Ago livestock market located in the Ita Nma area of Ilorin, Kwara state leaving over 15 shops destroyed, goods and livestock worth millions of naira reduced to ashes.
According to National Pilot findings, the fire, which broke out around 8:00 p.m., occurred shortly after the market had closed for the day. Livestock traders in the market bore the brunt of the disaster, with goods and livestock reduced to ashes.
Speaking to National Pilot on Saturday morning, the Vice Chairman of the Livestock Sellers Association, Alhaji Yakub Oloso, expressed despair over the incident and appealed for government assistance.
“We were called around 8 p.m. after closing hour yesterday that our animal stalls were on fire. We thank the fire service because they came around 9 p.m., but before then, a lot of goods had been damaged, including our animals, like goats. Fifteen shops got burnt. We therefore beg the government to have mercy upon us,” Alhaji Oloso said. He also noted that the cause of the fire remains unknown.
In his words, Saliu Kelebe one of the victims, call on Kwara State Government for help saying, “the loss is too much, we beg the government to help us”
National Pilot efforts to get reactions from other victims were unsuccessful, as most of them were absent when this reporter visited the market around 9:00 a.m. on Saturday. While others present declined to comment, citing the extent of their losses.
