Oyo Hands Over 88 Rebuilt Shops to Market Fire Victims

The Oyo State Government has handed over 88 reconstructed shops to traders affected by the March 2026 fire outbreak at Alesinloye Market in Ibadan, fulfilling its promise to restore their businesses and livelihoods.

The handover ceremony took place on Wednesday, November 11, with the Executive Chairman of Ibadan South-West Local Government, Hon. Kehinde Adeyemi Akande, performing the exercise on behalf of Governor Seyi Makinde.

The reconstructed shops were handed over to the beneficiaries at no cost, following the governor’s commitment to rebuild the affected section of the market after visiting the scene of the incident.

Speaking during the ceremony, Akande said the government had fulfilled its promise to ensure that traders who lost their shops to the fire could return to business.

He explained that the reconstructed section had been redesigned to provide a safer, more organised and accessible trading environment, including improved access roads leading to the shops.

The council chairman also disclosed that the government had earlier provided N250,000 to each affected trader as immediate financial assistance to cushion the impact of the losses.

To strengthen fire prevention and emergency response, Akande said plans were underway to reconstruct the market’s fire station. He added that safety officers would be permanently deployed by the local government to monitor compliance with safety regulations.

A former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Saheed Akinade-Fijabi, described the handover as the fulfilment of the governor’s commitment to the affected traders.

He explained that the 88 shops represented the exact number of traders identified on the verified list compiled after the fire outbreak. He urged the beneficiaries to maintain the facilities and observe safety regulations.

Speaking on behalf of the traders, Alhaja Taiwo Sekinat Bisola, representing the Babaloja of Alesinloye Market, expressed appreciation to the state government, describing the intervention as a major relief for the affected business owners.

The fire outbreak occurred in the early hours of March 11, 2026, in the plastic and rubber section of Alesinloye Market, destroying shops and goods worth millions of naira.

The reconstruction and handover are expected to enable the affected traders to resume their businesses while the planned safety measures seek to reduce the risk of another incident.