The Oko-Baba plank market a sprawling timber market on the Lagos lagoon close to the Third Mainland Bridge in Ebute-metta, Lagos, was on Sunday razed by fire, which consumed major parts of the shanties which destroyed goods worth millions of naira,
Penpushing reports that the spokesperson for the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Nosa Okunbor, confirmed the incident in a statement adding that the agency received distress calls regarding the fire outbreak around 10 a.m. on Sunday.
The fire consumed the main plank market, major parts of the shanties and goods worth millions of naira. No loss of life, No injuries sustained. The Agency activated its Cobra Squad from the Onipanu Base and arrived at the incident scene at 11020hrs,” he said.
Penpushing further reports that Okunbor explained that upon arrival at the scene, it was observed that a plank market and shanties spread on a large expanse of land was engulfed by fire, adding that the cause of the fire outbreak could not be ascertained as of the time the statement was compiled.
The spokesperson of Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), noted that the emergency responders contained the fire, preventing it from spreading to adjoining buildings before it was quickly subdued.
Penpushing also reports that it is recalled that the timber market has experienced at least three fire incidents in 2015, 2021 and January 2022, while the Lagos State Government made plans to relocate the sawmill market to a permanent site.
The record has it that the state government in December 2021, began a verification exercise towards the relocation of Oko-Baba Sawmillers to the Timberville, Owu-Ikosi purpose-built facility, but a recent court judgement in August has ordered the state government to stop the planned relocation of the timber dealers.
Penpushing reports that the court’s ruling comes after the traders challenged the state government’s plan to relocate them to Ikosi, which they did not consider as a suitable alternative, while a human rights activist and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, urged the state government to obey the court order and halt the relocation plan.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Government has explained that it embarked on the relocation of the sawmillers to protect the environment and create a more conducive and desirable location for business activity.
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