Victims Of Ikirun Fire Outbreaks Seek Help

 

 

By Solomon Odeniyi

VICTIMS of the recent incidents of fire outbreak in Ikirun, Ifelodun Local Government Council Area of the State of Osun have cried out for help from the government and well-meaning Nigerians.

Eight different shops were razed by fire at Oja Oba and Olawuwo Hassan Street, beside Ifelodun Local Government Council Secretariat, Ikirun last weekend. 

Two of the shops were razed early Friday morning at Oja Oba while a FADAMA II complex of six shops were razed on Saturday morning. 

OSUN DEFENDER gathered that power surge might be responsible for the fire outbreaks in the two areas.

It was learnt that goods and equipment worth millions of naira were lost to the two fire disasters.

One of the victims who own a saloon shop at the FADAMA complex, Ramat Oladimeji, said she recently stocked her shop with goods but lost all to the inferno.

She said: “I was called yesterday (Sunday) around 4am that our shops were on fire. By the time I rushed down, everything had been lost to the inferno. I could not salvage anything. I sold bulk weave-ons and attachments at dozen prices. I had dryer (for hair-dos), freezer that I used to sell drinks and I recently stocked my shop. 

“Everything lost to the fire outbreak will be up to N500, 000. I was, by the help of God, operating the biggest saloon in this area. This is what I have been doing in the last eight years. I want Nigerians and government to help me. “

Another victim, Mrs. Nofisat Kamila, who said she and her husband used two shops as pharmaceutical stores, lamented that their only source of livelihood was gone. 

She said: “My husband and I managed two shops here, which we used as pharmaceutical stores. We sold in bulk. We sold drugs and other medical materials, equipment at wholesale price. I can’t give accurate figure of the goods we had in shop before the inferno, but they should be up to N2.1m. My husband and I struggled to set up that place. We engaged in hard labour. We were just getting relieved when the shops were gutted by fire. This has been the only source of income for us. We have children and dependents.”

Segun Oluseyi, a 25-year-old fashion designer said he lost all his machines and customers’ clothes to the fire outbreak.

“I have one industrial threading machine and four ordinary machines. I have different wardrobes filled with customers’ clothes. What I lost to the fire is more than N550, 000. I seek the help of people on my loss. There is nothing left for me. I don’t know where to start from.”

Expressing his pains, Alhaji Ademola Oladimeji, the president of Goodluck FADAMA Association, the group that owns the razed shop, described the loss as a huge one, not only to members, but other occupants of the shops.

He said: “We built the shops with the help of World Bank under the FADAMA III project. We have gone to the local government through the desk officer of FADAMA to complain. We hope they pass the information to the national body to seek their assistance. 

“We also hope Nigerians will come to our aid. This is a huge loss to the occupants of the shops. They are people who are struggling to make ends meet and members of the Goodluck FADAMA Association.