Tension gripped Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, late Wednesday night as a raging fire swept through the popular Phone Village at Challenge Market, destroying goods worth millions of naira.
Eyewitnesses reported that the fire broke out at approximately 9:06 p.m., allegedly triggered by a sudden power surge in the area. The blaze quickly engulfed a section of the market known for mobile phone sales and repairs.
According to a statement released on Thursday by the spokesperson of the Kwara State Fire Service, Hassan Adekunle, the agency responded swiftly to the emergency.
“Our fire crew promptly mobilized and arrived at the scene to find several shops engulfed in flames,” Adekunle said. “The market comprises over 120 shops, 80 kiosks, and numerous stands. Through swift intervention, professionalism, and tactical expertise, our team successfully curtailed the spread of the fire, limiting its impact to only 10 kiosks.”
He added that the affected areas were mainly phone stores and repair shops. Preliminary investigations confirm the incident was caused by an electrical power surge.
Traders and stakeholders at the market praised the fire service for their quick and effective response, which prevented the blaze from escalating into a full-scale disaster.
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