* Traders seek help to rebuild burnt shops
By Ngozi Nwoke
Days after the devastating fire incident that razed several buildings at the Mandilas area of the busy Balogun market on Lagos Island, the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) has begun demolition of affected structures and attached buildings.
The move has left shop owners who lost goods worth millions of naira in the inferno in anguish. They are lamenting loss of their means of livelihood, calling for immediate rebuilding and intervention by the government.
The fire incident, which occurred on Wednesday, swept through a cluster of shops in the area, leaving a trail of destruction.
Those who witnessed the incident said that the flames spread rapidly, engulfing several buildings before firefighters were able to contain the blaze. By the time the fire was put out, goods worth millions of naira had been reduced to ashes.
Shop owners whose businesses were completely destroyed in the fire, painted a picture of loss and grief in the aftermath of the incident.
Simply identified as Uche, a boutique vendor who said he just had stocked goods worth over N5 million in his shop, broke down in tears as he narrated his experience to Sunday Sun.
"Everything is gone. All my stock of clothes, fabrics, and materials were burnt to ashes. I had borrowed money to restock for the upcoming festive season. Now I don't know how I'll pay back. My business is my life, and it's all gone," Uche lamented.
He appealed to the property owner and the government for a swift action in rebuilding the shops to help him get back on his feet.
A lady dealer in cosmetic and beauty products, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said her shop was one of the first to be hit by the flames.
"I had over N3 million worth of cosmetics, perfumes, and skin care products in my shop. Everything is gone. Customers were supposed to come for their orders today, but now I have nothing to give them. I'm devastated. I don't know how I'll recover from this loss," she lamented.
Another responder who spoke on behalf of her sister, a dealer in female shoes and bags, stressed that her sister lost goods worth about N10 million in the fire incident.
"It was like a nightmare. I saw my sister's stocks going up in flames. She had newly imported Turkey bags and shoes, and other goods worth millions. Now they're all ashes. My sister has been in this business for over 10 years, and this is the biggest loss she has ever faced. She needs help and prayers to recover from this shock and loss," she appealed, even as she expressed worry over how her sister would meet her business obligations without her stock.
A LASBCA official told Sunday Sun at the scene that the agency was acting based on safety concerns to prevent any potential hazards from the burnt structures.
"These buildings are no longer safe for occupation. We have to bring them down to ensure the safety of the market and its users," the official explained.
However, shop owners like Uche and others expressed dismay over the demolition, saying it came too soon, and they had hoped to salvage whatever was left of their goods or personal belongings from the shops.
"We haven't even been able to take stock of our losses properly, and now they're demolishing the buildings. It's like adding insult to injury," a passerby said bitterly.
The incident has sparked concerns about fire safety measures in Balogun market, as it has become a recurring incident in one of the largest and busiest markets in Lagos.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) confirmed that the fire that ripped through the Mandilas Market on Lagos Island destroyed four buildings and about 200 shops.
The inferno, which began around 7pm on September 16, 2025, was traced to a faulty changeover switch in one of the buildings.