Ondo State Governor, Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, has ordered an investigation into the cause of the recent fire outbreak at Sabo Market in Ore, Odigbo Local Government Area, while promising government support for traders who lost goods and shops in the incident.

The fire, which occurred on August 12, 2026, destroyed several shops and goods at the market, leaving affected traders with significant financial losses.

Aiyedatiwa visited the market on Tuesday to assess the extent of the damage and sympathise with the victims.

He expressed relief that no life was lost despite the destruction caused by the fire.

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The governor commended firefighters and residents of the area for their swift response, saying their efforts prevented the inferno from spreading further across the market.

“I acknowledge and thank all our firefighters for their quick response to ensure that this fire did not escalate more than this.

“A lot of valuables have been lost but no life was lost. Our men responded with the support of the people in the neighbourhood to ensure that the fire was put off,” he said.

The governor disclosed that the Ondo State emergency agency had visited the market to assess the damage, document the losses and identify the traders affected by the incident.

He assured the victims that the state government would consider appropriate support after the assessment had been completed.

“The emergency agency of the state government has been here to take note and account of all that have been destroyed and those who are affected. They are doing their calculation; in due time, they will respond to support the people,” he said.

Aiyedatiwa also urged traders and residents to take precautionary measures to prevent future fire incidents, particularly by switching off electrical appliances and other potential sources of fire before leaving their shops.

The governor further promised to address the water shortage reportedly encountered during the firefighting operation.

He directed the Ministry of Water Resources, Hygiene and Sanitation to identify suitable locations for the installation of boreholes in the area.

“I’m promising you today, the Ministry of Water Resources, Hygiene and Sanitation will visit and look at locations where they have to sink the boreholes and that will be approved immediately. Not just for firefighting but also for your use,” he said.

The governor also commended the Chairman of Odigbo Local Government, Taiwo Michael Adegoroye, for his response to the incident and urged him to identify other areas requiring intervention from the state government.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Amidu Takuro, said the government would investigate the remote causes of the fire outbreak.

Takuro disclosed that the latest incident was the third fire outbreak recorded at the market within the past two years, adding that the causes of previous incidents had not been conclusively established.

“So, at this time, it is very important for us to dig to the roots of the causes of these problems so that we can be able to know what to do next,” he said.

The Chairman of Odigbo Local Government, Adegoroye, commended the governor for visiting the affected market and promising assistance to the traders.

He described Sabo Market, Ore, as one of the major markets in Ondo State, noting its contribution to the internally generated revenue of both the state and local government.

The Iyaloja of Ore, Chief Eniola Ogunlana, who spoke on behalf of the affected traders, described the incident as unfortunate and appealed to the state government to assist the victims whose livelihoods depend on the market.

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