Phones and electronic accessories worth millions of naira were destroyed in a fire outbreak at the popular Phone Market in Ilorin, Kwara State.
It was learnt that the fire, which began at about 9:00 p.m. on April 30, 2025, at the phone village in the Challenge area, was caused by a power surge.
A source disclosed that 10 phone shops were completely razed by the inferno.
Hassan Adekunle, spokesperson for the Kwara State Fire Service, confirmed the incident in a statement yesterday. He said firefighters’ swift response prevented the fire from spreading to about 190 shops and kiosks in the market.
Adekunle stated: “On Wednesday, April 30, 2025, at about 9:06 p.m., the Kwara State Fire Service received a distress call reporting a fire outbreak at the Challenge Phone Village, located within Challenge Market, Ilorin.
“Our fire crew promptly mobilised and arrived at the scene to find several shops engulfed in flames. The market comprises over 120 shops, 80 kiosks, and numerous stands. Through swift intervention, our team successfully curtailed the spread of the fire, limiting its impact to only 10 kiosks.
“The affected areas were primarily phone stores and repair shops. Preliminary investigations indicate that the fire was caused by a power surge.”
Traders and market stakeholders commended the firefighters for their prompt intervention, which saved the market from extensive damage.
