…sympathises with Victims

The Governor of Ekiti State, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, has condemned the reported case of looting of property worth millions Naira by some unscrupulous elements during a midnight fire outbreak that engulfed some buildings in Igede Ekiti, on Tuesday.

The governor during a visit to the scene of the inferno at Igede Ekiti promised Government will fish out the masterminds of the looting and bring them to justice.

The inferno, which reportedly started around 1.30am, razed down two buildings comprising six shops and other residential apartments destroying property worth millions of naira before the intervention by men of Ekiti State Fire Services rescued the situation.

Addressing the victims, Oyebanji, represented by the Deputy Governor, Chief (Mrs) Monisade Afuye, sympathised with them pledging that the government will intervene to alleviate their sufferings through the provision of relief materials.

He however, expressed elation that no life was lost during the midnight inferno.

Although the cause of the fire was yet to be determined, Governor Oyebanji advised owners of shops and businesses to always switch off their electrical appliances before closing for the day.

On the reported cases of looting during the midnight fire outbreak, the governor described the action as an extreme display of wickedness, which he said shouldn’t occur in an ideal society.

The Governor also visited the palace of Onigede of Igede Ekiti, Oba James Aladesuru to sympathise with the monarch on the painful occurrence and promised that his government shall swiftly commence enumeration of the property lost for intervention.

“We sympathize with you. The news about these losses was not pleasurable. But we are assuring you that we will intervene.

“The operatives of the Ekiti State Emergency Management Agency will soon come to do the enumeration of the victims and the estimate of the losses incurred”.

On the looting of goods at the scene of the incident by unscrupulous individuals, the governor said: ” I am not really happy that some people were looting property when they are expected to help safeguard the situation. This is bad and wicked. We are going to investigate this and whoever that is indicted shall be arrested and prosecuted accordingly”, he vowed.

One of the victims, Mr Chinedu Nbamu, appreciated the governor for the visit, urging that those who looted property should be investigated and arrested to serve as deterrence to others.

Nbamu, who described the incident as worrisome and painful, added that no one could ascertain the cause of the inferno, while debunking the claim that the fire started from his multimillion naira shop.

Expressing grieve over the occurrence, the Onigede of Igede Ekiti, Oba James Aladesuru, appreciated the governor for displaying compassion and empathy at this highly excruciating time for the victims.

The monarch appealed to the government to act swiftly and start offering the victims palliatives to return to their businesses as quickly as possible.