Oyo APC Governorship Aspirant Alli Pledges N50m Relief for Oranyan Market Fire Traders

Senator Sharafadeen Alli, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Oyo State, has announced a significant N50 million intervention for traders impacted by the recent fire disaster at Ibadan's Oranyan Market. Alli made this public on Friday via his Facebook page, explaining that the funds are earmarked for immediate assistance to those who suffered business and livelihood losses in the devastating blaze.

According to Alli, his campaign's Director-General, accompanied by the Deputy Director-General and other prominent APC figures, had previously visited the market. This visit served to reassure the impacted traders about the impending support. Alli stated, “We had already made our position clear: ₦50 million has been committed to begin immediate relief for traders affected by the fire.” He further elaborated that a subsequent visit by his team aimed to solidify this pledge. “Our team returned to the ground to reinforce that message: this commitment is real, the support is coming, and no trader who lost their livelihood will be left to rebuild alone,” he affirmed.

The APC candidate emphasized the multifaceted role of the market, describing it as more than just a commercial hub. He highlighted how its destruction directly impacts families reliant on the traders' earnings. “A market is more than a place of business. It is where families are fed, dreams are built, and hardworking people create a future for themselves and their loved ones,” Alli remarked, adding, “To see all of that brought to ashes is painful.” He stressed that the N50 million aid was merely the initial phase of his assistance to the distressed traders. “The ₦50 million is just the beginning. The presence is the promise. This is Oyo AHEAD in motion,” he declared.

Earlier reports by PUNCH Online detailed the extensive damage caused by a massive fire that engulfed the well-known Oranyan Market in Ibadan North-East Local Government Area of Oyo State in the early hours of a Monday morning. The blaze, believed to have originated around midnight, ravaged various sections of the market, particularly impacting vendors of gold, furniture, used clothing, and sundry merchandise. An eyewitness account from Iya Alia suggested that the inferno might have affected close to 300 shops. She recounted, “The fire started around midnight. I cannot be specific about that time. Those affected were gold sellers, furniture sellers, second-hand clothes sellers and many others. The shops affected were almost 300.”

Morof Akinwande, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Fire Reforms and Chairman of the Oyo State Fire Services, acknowledged the incident. However, he advised against speculating on the exact number of destroyed shops until a comprehensive assessment could be conducted. Akinwande indicated that the fire reportedly began in the market's central area after an explosion, though the cause of the blast, whether gas-related or otherwise, remained unconfirmed. He confirmed that firefighters successfully contained the situation by 1 am, thereby preventing further spread of the conflagration.

Furthermore, Oyo State's Acting Governor, Abdulraheem Adebayo Lawal, extended his condolences to the affected traders and residents, promising the state government's full support. Lawal stated, “The State Government is already working closely with relevant emergency agencies to assess the extent of the damage and provide immediate relief to victims.” He also reiterated the government's dedication to rehabilitating the market and implementing preventative measures against future occurrences. This incident at Oranyan Market occurred just two days after a separate fire ravaged nine locked-up shops at the Nigerian Railway Shopping Complex, situated near Aleshinloye Market in Ibadan South-West Local Government Area of the state.