Traders at the Oil Mill market in Obio/Akpor, Rivers State, which was recently destroyed by fire, recount losses worth millions of naira. Ann Ezeji, who lost a trailer load of yam, explained that she had been selling yam tubers for over 25 years, earning the nickname “yam bulldozer.” She traveled to Taraba, Abuja, and Plateau states to purchase the yam, chartering a trailer worth N1.9 million and incurring N106,000 in transport costs. After loading the goods on Monday, the market burned on Saturday, destroying everything. A widow, Ann borrowed money to fund her business after her husband’s death in 2017; she now faces a debt of N1.6 million and pleads for assistance from Governor Nyesom Wike and the public. She learned of the fire when a caller urged her to rush to Eleme junction, despite it being her Sabbath. Upon arrival, she fainted, was taken to hospital, and has been on drip treatment ever since.
Beatrice Okocha, a widow with six children, lost four bags of garri. She was at home when she received a call informing her that her shop had been gutted. She does not know the cause of the fire. Okocha sells only garri, and all four bags were destroyed. She describes the market’s variety—garri, fish, yam, oil, crayfish, secondhand clothes, charcoal, and more. Overwhelmed, she cried but could not retrieve the garri. She has been borrowing money to supplement her modest profits and asks the local government and the governor for help.
Chioma Arungwa, a mother of five and palm‑oil trader for nearly seven years, also does not sell on Saturdays. A neighbor told her the market was on fire, and she arrived to find her oil in plastic containers, melon, and other goods burnt. Fellow women comforted her, reminding her that she could rebuild. She worries about feeding and educating her children amid the current scarcity of money. When officials recorded the losses, they initially denied that she sold palm oil, despite community testimony. She urges the governor, whom she praises for improvements in education, roads, and infrastructure, to assist the affected traders.
Evelyn Ilozulike, a mother of five young children, lost garri worth over N300,000. While at home she received a call that her market stall was ablaze. She traveled from Igbo‑Etche, spending N800 daily on transport, only to find seven bags of garri completely burnt. She describes the fire’s intensity, noting that a nearby high‑rise building’s walls were scorched and the heat was extreme. With high blood pressure and no savings, she pleads for any assistance, especially from Governor Wike and Apostle Chibuzor Chinyere of OPM, emphasizing that the market is her family’s sole source of income.
Rose Sunday, a mother of seven, recounted that on a Saturday morning she was on her way to the market with her husband, who suffers from a stroke, when a tricycle driver warned her of the fire. She arrived to see seven bags of garri and all her belongings reduced to ash. She could not retrieve any items, despite attempts to enter the blaze. Her husband has been ill since December 2022, and she lacks funds for higher education for her children, two of whom are married. Rose implores the governor and any elected officials to remember the victims of the Oil Mill market fire, fearing that the trauma may worsen her health. She trusts in God but hopes for governmental aid to prevent further hardship.
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