An early-morning fire has destroyed nine shops at the Nigerian Railway shopping complex along the Aleshinloye Market axis in Ibadan, Oyo State, leaving traders with losses running into millions of naira.

The fire reportedly broke out around 5 a.m. on Saturday, with the affected shops already engulfed in flames before the Oyo State Fire Services Agency received a distress call at 5:58 a.m.

One of the victims, an interior decorator identified as Busari Olayemi, estimated his losses at about N21 million.

Babatunde said the fire destroyed window blinds, curtain fabrics, industrial sewing machines, tools and materials belonging to customers that were stored in his shop.

The Oyo State Fire Services Agency said firefighters were immediately deployed to the scene after receiving the alert.

On arrival, the crew found nine lockedup shops consumed by flames and thick smoke.

A second fire truck carrying 10,000 litres of water was subsequently deployed to reinforce the operation.

The firefighters eventually contained the blaze and prevented it from spreading to neighbouring shops and properties.

No death or injury was recorded in the incident.

The Chairman of the Oyo State Fire Services Agency, Moroof Akinwande, said preliminary findings indicated that an electrical surge might have triggered the fire, leading to the ignition of combustible materials in the affected premises.

Fire disaster incident has renewed concerns over fire safety in commercial areas across Ibadan, where previous market fires have caused substantial losses to traders.

Further investigations are expected to establish the precise cause of the inferno.