Goods worth millions of naira were, yesterday, destroyed following a fire outbreak at the popular Oko Baba plank market in the Ebute-Meta area of Lagos State. The fire came six months after a similar incident consumed goods in the market. The state fire service, which confirmed the incident, said several shops were affected.

Officials of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), the state fire service, and other responders battled out the fire. LASEMA’s Permanent Secretary, Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, said the agency had difficulty responding to the incident because of hoodlums. “The agency’s fire unit has responded to the incident and worked to control the fire alongside Lagos Fire and Federal Fire Services. “The agency made a request for security cover as hoodlums and miscreants hamper the efforts of the joint responders,” he said. Meanwhile, no life was lost in the incident.