President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday commiserated with the family of the 65-year-old security guard and other victims who lost personal property and means of livelihood when hoodlums set fire at the Akere Spare Parts market in the Apapa Ajegunle area of Lagos State.
In the early morning of Wednesday, hoodlums invaded the market, killed the security guard on duty and set fire at the market which is located at Market, Kirikiri Road, Akere Bus Stop, Olodi-Apapa, Ajegunle, Lagos. It destroyed properties worth tens of millions of naira.
Meanwhile, the Governorship candidate of the Labour Party, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour (GRV) has already visited shop owners whose properties were burnt during the fire mishap.
President Buhari, in a statement by Presidential Spokesperson, Garba Shehu, said his “deepest sympathies are with the traders and their families, who bear the brunt of this unfortunate incident and are at crossroads of what to do after this temporary setback.”
The full statement reads: “President Muhammadu Buhari has learned with deep sadness the death of a 65-year-old security guard, the loss of personal property and means of livelihood of some hardworking Nigerians at the Akere Spare Parts market in the Apapa Ajegunle area of Lagos State.
“The President’s deepest sympathies are with the traders and their families, who bear the brunt of this unfortunate incident and are at crossroads of what to do after this temporary setback.
“The President is equally concerned that a similar fire incident occurred at the popular Balogun market a few weeks ago, calling on relevant authorities to take precautions to stem the tide.
“While the full extent and cause of the damage is being assessed, President Buhari commends the Lagos State Fire Service for responding to the incident, salvaging a nearby filling station with a 33,000 litres PMS tanker, amongst other adjoining buildings.”
During the visit, the Labour Party candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour (GRV), also commiserated with the victims of the fire incident also donated N15 million while assuring that the market will be rebuilt to international standard.
Speaking on the incident, Director of Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye, said the firefighters promptly contained the ranging fire and prevented it from spreading wild.
According to Adeseye, “At about 03:28 Wednesday wee hours, a Fire outbreak was alerted to Akere Spare Parts Market, Kirikiri Road, Akere Bus Stop, Olodi-Apapa, Ajegunle, Lagos that saw the Ajegunle Fire Station of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service as the first respondent.
“Upon arrival, it was discovered that rows of shops that traded in auto spare parts were engulfed in fire that led to Sari-Iganmu and Ilupeju Fire Crews of the Agency joining up to subdue the raging fire and salvage a nearby major market Petroleum Filling Station with a full loaded 33,000 litres PMS tanker among other adjoining buildings.
“However, a male adult was recovered by the Tolu Police Division around the scene and reported death from a gunshot injury as he did not suffer any traces of burnt while the Lagos Neighborhood and Safety Corps and the Red Cross were also in attendance.
“The cause of the fire is suspicious and will require details investigation to be ascertained as well as post-incident enumeration to account for the number of lockup shops and wares lost.”