We lost more than N130 million in merchandise—victims
Written by Olasunkanmi Akoni
LAGOS—Affected shopkeepers have issued an SOS to Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the state governor, requesting financial assistance to mitigate their losses in the wake of the destructive fire that destroyed a one-story commercial structure in Computer Village, Ikeja Local Government Area, Lagos State.
Recall that the building at Somoye Street in the state’s Ikeja neighborhood was completely destroyed by fire early on Tuesday morning, destroying valuables valued at several million naira.
The event, which happened after midnight, included a building that housed local computer and accessory merchants.
The fire completely destroyed the building’s upper floor. Reports state that once power was restored, an electrical surge caused the fire. The incident did not result in any casualties.
Scavengers were observed straining to remove some of the burned objects when Vanguard visited the scene yesterday.
Affected merchants implore Sanwo-Olu
The sad incident’s devastated victims said they had lost nearly everything. They claimed to have lost money and personal electronics, among other things.
In crowded market places like Ikeja Computer Village, the victims emphasized the critical need for fire safety measures.
Chucks, one of the victims who had just replenished his store, told Vanguard, “I’m one of the shop owners.” This incident has a significant impact on me. In actuality, I only uploaded the items on Monday. And they were all gone on Monday night and Tuesday morning.
“I couldn’t go upstairs as I hurried to the situation. Second, the firefighters’ equipment is a little out of date.
There is no pressure in the pipe. They are unable to push water upwards when they are downstairs. In order to reach the firing location, they had to ascend the ladder.
Therefore, we are pleading with Governor Sanwo-Olu to provide us with compensation. This is too much. For the Lagos State government, it cannot be too much. They possess the resources. We pay taxes.
“We cover all of our expenses. We are pleading with them to assist us and provide the state’s fire service with additional equipment.
Additionally, we are requesting public support. They are invited to assist in any manner to alleviate this disaster, which was brought on by the Ikeja Electricity Distribution rather than by us.
None of the twelve traders impacted upstairs and one downstairs managed to rescue a single pin.
“I would definitely estimate the damage to be around N130 million. I am a laptop dealer. These objects are costly. We are not referring to other equipment, such as personal devices. It’s a huge loss. We are unsure about where to begin.
Ebere Chimosor, another victim, pleaded with the governor for financial assistance while lamenting the loss of more than N10 million in merchandise.
“I’m one of the shop owners in the burned building,” he said. I’ll just make a few remarks.
Therefore, no one should bring up tribal feelings in this situation. I do business here, yet I’m from the east. Here, there is no tribalism. We are merely pleading with the state and local administrations to support us.
“The local state fire service did an absolutely fantastic job when this incident occurred on Tuesday at around one in the morning. However, they were the ones who actually diminished the entire situation. We would have witnessed a different narrative otherwise.
The head of the council visits the site
Akeem Dauda, the chairman of the Ikeja Local Government Area, visited the area later, evaluated the extent of the damage, expressed sympathy to the impacted traders, and reassured them of the council’s support.
In order to avoid similar incidents in the future, he emphasized the significance of closely adhering to safety precautions, especially when handling electrical systems.
