IBADAN — Tragedy struck in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Saturday night as a devastating fire razed no fewer than 20 shops at the NIPOST shopping complex beside the Dugbe General Post Office, destroying goods estimated at over ₦200 million.
The inferno, which broke out around 11:30 p.m., was reportedly triggered by a lone accident involving a Lexus saloon car whose occupants were said to be speeding from the Queen Cinema axis towards Iyaganku.
Eyewitnesses said the driver lost control of the vehicle after allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol, crashing into a giant billboard in front of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) station in Ibadan.
The impact caused the car to somersault and split into two. The rear section, which reportedly contained a CNG tank and tyres, was said to have rolled into the NIPOST shopping complex, where it exploded on impact.
The explosion sparked a raging fire that quickly engulfed shops dealing in stationery, computer accessories, clothing materials and other valuables, reducing them to ashes.
It was, however, the swift response of operatives of the Oyo State Fire Service that prevented the blaze from spreading to the nearby General Post Office and adjoining business structures.
The two occupants of the Lexus, suspected to be internet fraudsters heading towards a nightclub along the Ring Road axis, reportedly escaped the scene without injuries.
The billboard struck in the crash reportedly carried campaign materials of political figures contesting the Oyo South Senatorial District seat ahead of the 2027 general elections.
At the scene on Sunday morning, security operatives and fire fighters were still combing the debris and assessing the level of destruction as affected traders counted their losses.
One of the victims, Mr. Kingsley Chioma, said the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Iyaganku Police Station had assured traders that efforts were underway to apprehend the driver involved in the incident.
He described the incident as heartbreaking, noting that many traders had lost years of investment within minutes of the inferno.
Investigations into the cause of the crash and subsequent fire are ongoing.
