Gubernatorial candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in Oyo State, Adebiyi Adedapo, has called for a thorough, independent and transparent investigation into the Sunday night inferno at Oranyan Market in Ibadan.
He described the incident as another disturbing reminder of the vulnerability of markets across the state.
Adedapo in a statement issued Sunday expressed sympathy to traders, artisans, families and residents affected by the fire, noting that the destruction represented more than the loss of property.
According to him, Many victims had invested years of savings, sacrifice and hard work in their businesses, making the inferno a serious blow to their economic survival.
The NNPP candidate stressed that the Oranyan incident should not be treated as an isolated disaster, pointing to a succession of market fires recorded across Oyo State, particularly in Ibadan, since 2023.
He recalled that a fire at Araromi Spare Parts Market, Agodi Gate, in January 2023 destroyed 45 shops, 20 houses, nine electricity poles, a transformer and a community borehole, while another fire affected 15 shops at Temidire Market, Apete, later that month.
Adedapo cited subsequent incidents at Bodija International Market and Agbeni Market in 2023, followed by fires at Sango Market, Oranyan Market and Moniya Farmers’ Market in 2024.
The recurrence, according to the NNPP candidate, demonstrated the need for the state government to move beyond emergency response and establish a comprehensive strategy for preventing market fires.
Adedapo added that the December 2024 fire at Moniya Farmers’ Market, popularly known as Oja Agbe, further underscored concerns over electrical safety and the vulnerability of commercial areas.
Recalling the September 2024 incident at the same Oranyan Market, he noted that more than 40 shops in the herbal section were affected, with goods worth millions of naira destroyed.
He pointed out that the situation became more alarming in 2025, when the Aleshinloye Market fire destroyed more than 500 shops and stalls, with goods worth hundreds of millions of naira reportedly lost.
Adedapo added: “Another fire at Araromi Market, Agodi Gate, in April 2025 destroyed at least 12 shops, while 2026 has also witnessed fires at Ogunpa Market, the NIPOST Shopping Complex in Dugbe and Bode Market.
“The recurrence, he noted, raises fundamental questions about the effectiveness of existing fire-prevention and emergency-response measures in Oyo State.
“How many more market fires must occur before the authorities treat market safety as a matter of urgent public policy?” Adedapo queried.
He, however, called for a comprehensive investigation into the Oranyan inferno to determine its cause, how the fire spread, the adequacy of the emergency response and whether preventable failures involving electrical installations, market structures, access roads, firefighting equipment, water supply or refuse management contributed to the scale of the destruction.
“Any individual or institution found negligent, should be held accountable in accordance with the law,” he said.
Adedapo equally urged the authorities to conduct a comprehensive fire and safety audit of major markets across Oyo State, particularly those with overcrowded structures, inadequate access routes, combustible materials, poor electrical installations and limited firefighting facilities.
“Regular electrical inspections, accessible emergency routes, proper refuse management, fire extinguishers, hydrants and emergency drills, should become standard requirements,” Adedapo said.
The NNPP candidate, also advocated urgent investment in the Oyo State Fire Service, including functional fire trucks, adequate personnel, firefighting equipment, reliable water supplies and improved rapid-response capacity.
Beyond this, he appealed to the government to provide immediate assistance to victims of the Oranyan fire through a transparent assessment of losses and a structured programme for relief, reconstruction and economic recovery.
He maintained that the repeated market fires from 2023 to 2026 should serve as a warning that Oyo State needs a coordinated, long-term policy on market safety, urban planning and emergency management.