Oyo APC governorship candidate donates N25m to Ibadan market fire victims

The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, has donated N25 million to traders affected by the recent fire outbreak at Bode Market in Ibadan South-West Local Government Area.

 

Alli announced the donation during a sympathy visit to the market on Friday, where he commiserated with traders who lost shops and goods in the incident.

 

He was received by the market’s Babaloja, Salau Oloya, and Iyaloja, Sikira Alaja, alongside other traders.

 

Addressing the victims, Alli said leadership should go beyond political campaigns by providing practical support to citizens during difficult times.

 

“Leadership must go beyond rhetoric and political campaigns. People-oriented governance requires prompt response, empathy and tangible support for citizens in moments of crisis. The donation of N25 million to the affected traders is to show our commitment to the people’s welfare,” he said.

 

He added that the APC remained committed to improving the welfare of residents through responsible leadership and responsive governance.

 

The APC Women Leader in Oyo State, Adekemi Opatunde, also donated N5 million and 15,000 nose masks to support the affected traders and promote safety within the market.

 

Earlier, the governorship candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Bimbo Adekanmbi, donated N2.5 million to victims of the fire.

 

The fire, which occurred in the early hours of the day, destroyed several shops and goods worth millions of naira, particularly in the market’s herbal products section.

 

An eyewitness, identified simply as Serifat, said the cause of the fire had yet to be determined.

 

Bode Market is one of Ibadan’s largest commercial centres, known for the sale of herbs, animal skins and other traditional products, attracting traders from across the South-West and other parts of Nigeria.

 

The incident comes nearly two years after a similar fire razed more than 40 shops in the herbal section of Oranyan Market in Ibadan North-East Local Government Area, destroying property worth millions of naira.