Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu paid a visit to the Akere Auto Spare Part Market in Olodi Apapa, Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government Area, where a midnight inferno destroyed goods and properties worth millions of dollars.
WITHIN NIGERIA reports that this was made known in a statement signed by Sanwo-Olu’s Chief Press Secretary, Gboyega Akosile.
On Wednesday, the Governor personally met with the victims of the fire, expressing his condolences and promising support for the traders in recouping their losses.
The incident, which affected over 90 spare part stores, claimed the life of a taxi driver. Unknown individuals allegedly fired sporadically toward the market, killing one person and setting fire to the market.
Sanwo-Olu condemned the incendiary action, describing it as “unfortunate”. He charged the Commissioner of Police, Idowu Owohunwa, with conducting a thorough investigation into the incident and apprehending the perpetrators.
The Governor inspected the razed market with the council chairman, Hon. Fatai Ayoola, and the market leader, Mr. Izuchukwu Uba, while officials from the Lagos State Emergency Management Authority (LASEMA) cleared the site of charred materials in order to salvage unaffected goods.
A woman identified as the deceased’s wife pleaded with the Governor to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident and requested that her husband’s body be released for Muslim burial.
Sanwo-Olu expressed condolences to the deceased’s family and offered assistance in burying the deceased.
Addressing the traders, the Governor assured them that the State Government would investigate the incident and that security would be tightened around major markets to prevent future attacks.
Sanwo-Olu said:
I commiserate with the family of taxi driver who was somewhere close to the market premises but lost his life in the incident. I am also here to share my sympathy with all shop owners who lost means of livelihood in this fire incident. But we don’t want to pass judgment ahead of investigation.
In strong term, I am directing the Commissioner of Police to immediately launch a full investigation into the cause of this incident. Given the issues we are hearing around, I am also directing the Commissioner to tighten security around markets. All vulnerable markets must be protected.
People must not jump into conclusions as to the motives behind it, because this is an incident that affects everyone around this neighbourhood in one form or the other. We have received the list of all shop owners affected and we will vet the list for compensation to help the victims back on their feet.
Sanwo-Olu stated that the State’s emergency response team would remain at the site until the rubble was cleared. He promised that the State Government would work with local council authorities to rebuild the market and re-establish the traders.
The Governor urged residents to continue promoting peaceful coexistence among members of their communities, emphasizing that his visit to the site was intended to reassure victims of the government’s commitment to peace.
He said:
We will help to rebuild the market within a short term and we will personally ensure safety measures are put in place. Our visit is to further reassure all residents of the State that, as long as we are in Government, we will continue to promote peaceful coexistence among all communities. I am here to demonstrate that commitment and to personally support the rebuilding efforts.