Three Feared Dead as Fire Razes Oyo Market

Three people were feared killed yesterday in the ancient town of Oyo following an early morning fire that razed larger part of the ancient Akesan Market as men of fire service, who were nearby, were unable to curtail the situation.

THISDAY learnt that the situation got awry when angry youths vent their anger on the men of the fire service who attributed their incapacities to non-functional equipment.

It was gathered that youths in their hundreds stormed the fire station burning tyres and in the process attracted the attention of the security officials who were said to have used live bullets on the protesters, killing three people in the process.

To battle the raging inferno, a reinforcement of fire fighters were mobilised from Ibadan, Oyo State capital and Ogbomoso a distance of more than 50 kilometres.

Although, the source could not give the exact identity of the security operative who fired the shots that fell three of the protesting youths, operatives of the state-owned anti-crime outfit codenamed: Operations Burst were fingered as suspects.

When contacted on the development, Public Relations Officer, Oyo State Police Command, Mr. Gbenga Fadeyi, denied that the bullets of the police fell the protesters, stating that investigation was ongoing to unravel the culprit.

He nevertheless assured that more men have been drafted to the scene to restore normalcy and help put out the fire out completely.

But wo≠rried by the development, a group of youth in the town, Oyo Global Forum, yesterday said a considerable part of the market would have been saved if the nearby fire station had functional equipment.

While condemning the government for not providing necessary equipment for the fire fighters to work with, especially in this particular season, the group also kicked against what it described as disproportionate use of force in response to angry residents by the security operatives which led to the death of three innocent and harmless youths.

The group, in a statement by its Secretary, Mr. Taiwo Hassan Adebayo, said it would demand from Oyo State Government due compensation and rebuilding of the market.