The former Nigerian Ambassador to Zambia/Malawi, and frontline member of Penpushing platform, Mrs Folake-Marcus-Bello has lost farm products running into millions of naira, following mysterious fire which gutted her farmland located in Onipepe axis of Obafemi-Owode local government area of Ogun State.
Penpushing reports that the fire incident which occurred in the early hours of Tuesday ravaged the 10 hectares of the farmland known as Folake B Farm, destroying over 500 palm oil trees among other farm products.
The source of the fire at the farmland located along Siun-Sagamu-Abeokuta expressway was still unknown as at the time of filing this report, and was said to have lasted for about four hours, before it could be control.
Penpushing further reports that a visit by journalists showed that the farmland was badly destroyed, while different sources attributed the cause to some hunters who might have put fire in the neighbouring bush while trying to kill animals known as bush meat, while another source has it that it maybe deliberate handiwork of some unscrupulous elements.
The manager of the farmland, Mrs Adesola Adebayo who conducted journalists round the farmland said she got a phone call from the villagers as about 4.30pm, informing her about the fire, and had to rush down to the scene.
Penpushing also reports that she said on arrival, she and other villagers were helpless on the volume of the fire, which was spreading without control, adding that the harmattan situation contributed to the fast spread of the fire which caused serious damages
‘I am the farmland manager, I got information at about 4,30pm from the villagers informing me that fire has occurred in the farm, and had had to rush down. On getting to the farmland, the fire was spreading fast and we became helpless because of the volume of the spread’, she said
‘I don’t know the cause of the fire, but maybe it was caused by hunters looking for bush meat, who might have put fire on the bush to track the animals. One cannot also rule out activities of some unscrupulous elements who may deliberately set the farmland on fire. The harmattan further worsen the situation’, Adebayo stated
Penpushing reports that the former Nigerian Ambassador when contacted confirmed the sad development, adding that she was short of words when she heard about the development, stressing that she has committed millions of naira to the farmland
The former Commissioner For Women Affairs and Social Welfare in Ogun State , who is also a legal practitioners lamented the huge loss, adding that she was looking ahead for harvest of the farm products which run into millions of naira when inferno consumed everything
‘This is disturbing and worrisome. I am short of works and it was difficult to believe, just as we are looking forward for harvest, the inferno caused havoc destroying millions of naira farm products. The larger part of the 10 hectares of the farmland has been consumed’, Marcus-Bello emphasized
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