Metro

Fire Razes Valuable Worth Millions In Oyo, Ondo

Published

5 years ago

November 8, 2020

Items worth millions of naira were Sunday razed by fire at grocery and household supermarket, Grandex stores, believed to be owned by Mrs. Florence Ajimobi, wife of the late former Governor Abiola Ajimobi.

Grandex stores is located at Bodija, Ibadan, Oyo State.

The incident which reportedly started at 3:00 pm, from the back of the supermarket, gradually spread to the main store.

The men of Oyo State Fire Service who came to put off the fire were not able to do so as the fire kept raging, while it took the combined efforts of the Federal Fire Service to extinguish the fire.

The federal fire fighters who came later went to the area close to the back of the stores to spray water to the raging fire, which finally put an end to the incident.

The team leader of the Federal Fire Service who spoke with journalists under the condition of anonymity, attributed the incident to electrical sparks and over-loading of electrical sockets.

Those reading newspapers at the popular Osuntokun junction also saved the day as they rallied round to fetch water and bring fire extinguishers to quench the fire before the arrival of fire fighters.

According Mr. Bamidele Osinowo, an eyewitness who spoke with this correspondent said: “It started about 3.p.m. When we heard the shouts from the workers, I immediately called the Oyo State Fire Service.

“I brought out my phone to call the fire people. Within ten minutes, they came with a bigger truck. We moved in to join them to bring extinguishers . Somebody from Zenith Bank brought one another person brought from Afe Babalola Educational Centre, Bodija.”

Mr. Osinowo decried the absence of fire hydrants in the supermarket, saying if the hydrants were there the fire would have been put off on time.

Later, Mrs. Florence Ajimobi arrived at the scene, as some of the aides joined in evacuating goods from the stores, while some stern-looking officers of Operation Burst were on ground to prevent looting.

In a related development, Goods and drugs worth more than N300 million naira were lost to an early morning fire which occurred at Ijomu area of Akure, the Ondo State capital on Sunday.

The fire affected no fewer than 10 entrepreneurs whose shops and medicine store were located in the area.

Alhaji is the owner of Choices Medicine and Supermarket Stores at No. 20 Ijomu Street, Akure, Akure South Local Government Area of the state, was said to have just off loaded two trucks load of drugs into his two stores in the same complex on Saturday night.

Other occupants of the complex are dealers, fashion designers, electrical and electronics dealers.

Mrs. Modupe Daramola, a fashion designer in the complex, lost three industrial sewing and embroidery machines and four sewing machines to the fire.

She disclosed that she also lost a heavy duty power generating set and a refrigerator to the inferno besides several fabrics belonging to her numerous customers.

FILE PHOTO

Metro

Gunmen Kidnap Businessman In Ibadan

Published

1 day ago

May 4, 2026

Editor

Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have abducted a 60-year-old man in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

The victim was kidnapped on Saturday while on his way to his residence.

The incident occurred at Jinarere, Alakia in Ibadan.

Public Relations Officer of the State Police command, Olayinka Ayanlade, when contacted, confirmed the incident.

Ayanlade in a statement made available to DAILY POST on Sunday, explained that efforts are ongoing to rescue the victim.

Ayanlade said, “Preliminary information reveals that the victim, a 60-year-old male and building materials trader, was accosted while returning home along the Jinarere axis of Alakia Road by four masked armed men, who forcefully whisked him away in an unregistered ash-coloured Toyota Corolla vehicle”.

Metro

Tragedy As Suspected Kidnappers Kill Young Entrepreneur In Edo

Published

2 days ago

May 3, 2026

Editor

A 30-year-old entrepreneur and CEO of Principle Takeout, Justice Abu Oshioke, has been killed by suspected kidnappers in Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State.

He was reportedly attacked by the suspected kidnappers on Saturday while on his way to pick up an order made for his child’s dedication on Sunday morning.

Eyewitnesses said the attackers attempted to force him into a nearby bush in a kidnapping attempt. However, he reportedly resisted and tried to escape.

In the course of the struggle, the assailants opened fire, shooting him multiple times.

Concerned residents quickly rushed him to a nearby medical facility, but he was confirmed dead on arrival.

The deceased was said to have recently gotten married and welcomed a baby boy.

The tragic event has turned a joyous occasion into a moment of grief for the family.

The shocking development has left the Ekpoma community in deep sorrow, with many residents expressing outrage over the growing insecurity in the area.

Edo State Police Command’s spokesperson, Eno Ikoedem confirmed the incident and said the Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika has ordered a “full-scale investigation and intensified manhunt for those responsible.”

According to her, the Police, in collaboration with the military, local vigilantes, and hunters, are actively pursuing the perpetrators through coordinated operations.

Metro

Grandfathers Arrested For Drug Trafficking

Published

2 days ago

May 3, 2026

Editor

Two grandfathers, aged 83 and 78, are among several suspects apprehended by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in a fresh nationwide crackdown on illicit drug trafficking.

Pa John Ofiel, 83, was arrested on Tuesday, 28 April during a raid in the Aba region of Abia State.

The NDLEA said that operatives acting on credible intelligence recovered 700 grams of skunk, a potent strain of cannabis already packaged into retail sachets.

The octogenarian, who claimed to be a professional shoemaker allegedly confessed to delving into the illicit trade.

In Ekiti State on Thursday 30 April 78 year old Ogunjobi Samuel was detained at his residence in Ilupeju-Ekiti where officers seized 350 grams of cannabis from him, identifying him as a local peddler.

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, (CCEO), Brig. Gen. Mohamed Marwa (Rtd), commended the various state commands for their drug supply reduction efforts.

He urged officers to maintain the current momentum, balancing enforcement with the agency’s War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation activities.
The enforcement drive also led to the arrest of a notorious drug dealer in Oyo State Taofik Adeyemi, 49.

He was apprehended on Saturday, 2 May, at his residence in Ibadan after months of evading the authorities.

He was caught alongside his salesman, Mustapha Oyerinde, with 3.085kg of cannabis and a getaway vehicle.

Across other states, the NDLEA recorded significant seizures including over 140,000 pills and capsules of Tramadol intercepted in separate operations targeting transit routes from Damaturu to Hadejia.

A raid on Awolowo Market in Mushin area of Lagos state resulted in the recovery of 740kg of cannabis while in Kaduna, two suspects were caught on the Abuja-Jos highway with 290kg of compressed cannabis concealed in a Honda Ridgeline.

A 65-year-old driver was intercepted at the Ile-Ife toll gate in Osun state conveying skunk and methamphetamine, leading to a follow up arrest of the consignment’s owner in Ilesha.

In line with it’s mandate, the NDLEA continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy, holding enlightenment lectures for students, Islamic schools, and commercial motorcyclists in Niger, Kano, Anambra, and Lagos states.

The NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, noted that the agency remains committed to “cleansing the streets” of both notorious distributors and those who use age as a shield for criminal activity.