Fire Guts Akere Spare Part Market; Security Man Killed Traders Say It’s APC, Rhodes-Vivour Visits, Donates N15m

By Akinwale Kasali

The popular Akere Spare Parts Market in Ajegunle, Apapa Area of Lagos State has been gutted by fire. Goods worth millions of Naira were lost in the inferno.

It was gathered that the fire outbreak started at about 3:28am when all shops were under lock and key.

The fire outbreak escalated and spread beyond control as a major Petroleum Filing Station with a fully loaded 33,000 Liters PMS Tanker was also affected as well as adjoining buildings near the market.

Devastated traders who are counting their losses point accusing fingers at supporters of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.

In a viral video, the traders, who are mainly of the Igbo ethnic group, insist it was a deliberate act to punish them for voting Peter Obi, the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party on 25th February, 2023. Obi defeated the Candidate of the APC, now the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, in Lagos State.

A 65-year old Security Guard  in the market was, allegedly, shot dead during the fire incident by thugs who came to loot, a source told this medium.

It took the intervention of the Ajegunle Fire Station alongside Sari-Iganmu and Illupeju Fire Crews of the Agency to salvage the situation and put off the fire from affecting other buildings in the area.

According to the Director of Lagos Fire and Rescue Service, Adeseye Margaret, “The fire started around 3:28am and upon arrival by our Fire Rescue Team, it was discovered that rows of shops that traded in auto spare parts were well alight, but our rescue team were able to subdue the fire and salvage the situation.

“However, a male adult body was recovered  by the Tolu Police Division of the Nigerian Police around the scene while the Lagos Neighborhood and Safety Corps and the Red Cross were also in attendance.

“The cause of the fire outbreak is still unknown and it will require investigation to ascertain what happened and also investigation to account for the number of lockup shops and wares that were lost”, he said.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin confirmed the Fire incident and the death of the security guard, stressing that the body of the deceased have been identified and his corpse  taken to the mortuary.

Hundeyin also added that the deceased was shot dead and not as a result of the fire incident.

He stressed that investigation is ongoing to ascertain the cause of the fire outbreak.

The Governorship Candidate of the LP, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, on a visit to the Market Wednesday, condoled with the victims of the tragic incident, and donated the sum of  N15m to them.