Fire razes Opolo Furniture Market in Yenagoa as traders call for Bayelsa government support

Traders in Bayelsa State are counting heavy losses after an early morning fire destroyed several shops and goods at the Opolo Furniture Market in Yenagoa, with affected business owners saying years of investment were wiped out within hours.

Residents around the market said the blaze began around 4:00 a.m. on Thursday when many people were still asleep. The market, located opposite a well-known filling station in the Opolo area, was engulfed before many shop owners could reach the scene.

At the time of filing this report, officials had not announced a confirmed cause of the incident. However, people in the neighbourhood said there were suspicions that materials burnt overnight by a security guard, reportedly to ward off mosquitoes, might have contributed to the fire. Authorities have not verified that account.

One of the affected workers, Mr Agbedo Matthew, who serves as a caretaker in the market, said he received an emergency call around 4:00 a.m. and rushed over immediately. According to him, what he met was extensive destruction, with flames already spreading across sections of the market.

He said officials of the Bayelsa State Fire Service arrived around 6:00 a.m., nearly two hours after the fire started, and then began efforts to contain the inferno and stop it from extending to nearby structures.

Shop owners and traders said furniture, tools, fittings and other valuable items worth millions of naira were lost in the incident, leaving many families uncertain about how to restart their businesses. Several affected persons appealed to the Bayelsa State Government and relevant agencies for urgent support, including emergency relief and business-recovery assistance.

The incident has also renewed concerns about fire preparedness in major markets across the state, especially access to rapid-response equipment, water points and safety enforcement for overnight operations. Traders in Yenagoa said beyond immediate aid, they want clearer preventive measures to reduce the risk of another large-scale market fire.