By Deborah Nnamdi
A midnight fire has destroyed at least 20 shops at the NIPOST Shopping Complex in the Dugbe area of Ibadan, Oyo State, with goods valued at more than N100 million reportedly lost in the incident.
The blaze occurred late on Saturday night, around 11:30 p.m., after a Lexus sedan allegedly driven by a drunk motorist crashed into a shop along the Dugbe–Iyaganku axis. Witnesses said the collision sparked a fire that rapidly spread to adjoining shops within the busy commercial complex.
According to residents and traders in the area, the fire intensified quickly due to the highly combustible nature of some of the goods stored in the affected shops. Initial efforts by shop owners and passersby to contain the flames proved unsuccessful as the blaze engulfed multiple businesses.
Emergency responders and security personnel were subsequently deployed to the scene to prevent the fire from spreading to nearby structures and to maintain order as anxious traders and residents gathered around the affected area.
Although no deaths or injuries had been confirmed as of the time of filing this report, several traders were left counting their losses as the inferno reduced their shops and merchandise to ashes.
Authorities are expected to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the damage and investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash that reportedly triggered the fire.
The incident has sent shockwaves through the Dugbe business district, one of Ibadan’s busiest commercial hubs, with affected shop owners describing the destruction as a devastating setback to their livelihoods and business operations.
