No fewer than 20 shops were razed while goods valued at over ₦200 million were destroyed after a midnight fire gutted a shopping complex in the Dugbe area of Ibadan, Oyo State.

The inferno, which started around 11:30 p.m. on Saturday, affected the Nigerian Postal Service shopping complex located beside the Dugbe General Post Office.
Eyewitnesses told our correspondent on Sunday that the fire was allegedly triggered by an accident involving a Lexus saloon car.

According to residents, the driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle while travelling from the Queen’s Cinema axis towards Iyaganku.

The vehicle was said to have rammed into a giant billboard situated in front of the Nigerian Railway Corporation station in Ibadan before somersaulting and splitting into two.

Witnesses said the rear part of the vehicle, reportedly carrying a Compressed Natural Gas tank and back tyres, detached and rolled into the shopping complex, where an explosion occurred, igniting the fire.

The blaze razed about 20 shops dealing in stationery, computer accessories and clothing materials, leaving traders counting heavy losses.

Men of the Oyo State Fire Service were, however, able to prevent the fire from spreading to the General Post Office and adjoining buildings.

The occupants of the Lexus reportedly escaped unhurt.

Although some eyewitnesses alleged that the occupants were heading towards the Ring Road area before the crash, authorities had yet to officially confirm details surrounding their identities and movement as of the time of filing this report.

When our correspondent visited the scene around 8 a.m. on Sunday, firefighters and security operatives were still at the complex battling the aftermath of the inferno as smoke billowed from sections of the affected structure.

Shop owners and residents gathered at the scene, lamenting the destruction of goods and property.

One of the affected traders, Kingsley Chioma, said the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Iyaganku Police Station assured victims that efforts were underway to apprehend the driver.

“We lost goods worth millions of naira to the fire. The DPO assured us that the driver responsible for the incident would be arrested,” Chioma said.

As of the time of filing this report, officials of the Oyo State Fire Service and the police had yet to issue an official statement on the incident.

Tragedy struck Oda Community in Akure South Local Government Area of Ondo State after a 38-year-old man was arrested by the police for allegedly killing his biological father during a violent domestic dispute.

The Ondo State Police Command confirmed the arrest in a statement issued on Thursday by its spokesperson, DSP Abayomi Jimoh.

According to the police, the incident began as a heated disagreement between the father and son before it escalated into a physical confrontation that turned deadly.

“During the confrontation, the deceased reportedly sustained severe injuries, particularly to the head. He was immediately rushed to a medical facility for urgent attention,” Jimoh said.

Despite efforts by medical personnel to save his life, the father was confirmed dead by the attending doctor while receiving treatment.

The police spokesperson disclosed that the matter was formally reported to the police by another son of the deceased, identified as Daniel Moses, who is also a brother to the suspect.

“Following a formal complaint lodged at the police station by one Daniel Moses, a son of the deceased and brother to the suspect, detectives promptly commenced investigation into the matter. Acting swiftly on the report, police operatives apprehended the suspect and took him into custody for questioning,” the statement added.

Jimoh further confirmed that the remains of the deceased had been deposited in the mortuary, while the case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for discreet investigation.

He added that the suspect remains in custody and will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations.

The Oyo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has condemned the abduction of Mrs Busayo Adelabu John-Paul, a younger sister of a former Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, and her 12-year-old twin sons by suspected gunmen in Ibadan.

The opposition party, while expressing concern over the worsening security situation in the state, called on Governor Seyi Makinde to work more closely with security agencies and relevant stakeholders to stem the growing wave of kidnappings and violent crimes.

Mrs John-Paul was reportedly abducted on Wednesday alongside her twin sons at the Elewura area of Challenge, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

Sources said the victims were travelling from their residence when armed men, who allegedly trailed their vehicle, intercepted them around 7:30am and whisked them away to an unknown destination.

Reacting to the incident in a statement issued on Thursday in Ibadan by its Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, the APC described the abduction as disturbing, particularly at a time when residents were already anxious over unresolved kidnapping cases involving schoolchildren and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area, as well as two members of staff of the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria in the Idi-Ayunre area of Oluyole Local Government Area.

The party warned that insecurity in the state was assuming an alarming dimension and urged authorities at all levels to urgently strengthen the security architecture to protect lives and property.

“We use this medium to appeal to the relevant authorities at the federal, state and local government levels to take a critical look at the security architecture of Oyo State with a view to tightening all loose ends and ensuring maximum protection of lives and property of citizens regardless of their background, economic or socio-political status,” the statement read.

The APC also demanded the immediate rescue of all victims currently in captivity, including the Oriire school abductees, the two CRIN workers, Mrs Busayo John-Paul and her children.

“We demand immediate rescue of all Oriire school abductees, two CRIN staff, Mrs Busayo John-Paul and her children, as well as others who are in captivity at the moment,” the party stated.

The opposition party further urged Governor Makinde and security agencies to intensify efforts to curb the rising spate of kidnappings and violent attacks across the state.

“No citizen deserves to live in perpetual fear and anxiety as it is the situation with residents of Oyo State at the moment. We call on Governor Makinde to seek help where necessary so that the situation does not degenerate further. As it stands, nobody is safe anywhere in the state and it has never been this bad,” the statement added.