It was weeping and wailing, on Monday, by traders who lost goods worth several millions of naira as the popular Oba market in downtown Benin City was razed in a midnight fire.

The cause of the inferno at the market which burnt the ground and top floor of a section of the market is yet to be ascertained but the Chairman of Oredo Local Government Area of the State, Mr Jenkins Evbareke Osunde, who visited for an on-the-spot assessment to the market on Monday morning however suspected arson.

Coming on the heels of the razing of Eki-Osa, Santana and Uwelu markets all in the Edo State capital, no life was lost in the latest inferno.

The traders had returned to the market last week after three months relocation to selected public schools compounds in the state for fumigation and decontamination by the State Government in a bid to prevent the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Federal Fire Service Zone K tweeted, “At about 1:00hrs this morning Men of Federal Fire Service Zone K Edo command turned out to combat a raging inferno at Oba market ring road Benin city Edo State. In attendance are Nigerian Army, Nigerian Air force, NPDC, and UNIBEN fire service.”

Security personnel attached to Oba market division were on ground to prevent looting of shops by hoodlums.

Governor Godwin Obaseki who accused political opponents of being responsible for incessant fire outbreaks in the state to discredit his administration had announced the sum of N100 million (One Hundred Million) compensation to the traders of Eki-Osa market when it was razed down last December.

But, six months down memory Lane, the traders are yet to get the money after they were asked to compile a list of the items that were consumed in the inferno and submit their bank details.