The Governor of Ekiti State, Biodun Oyebanji on Tuesday vowed to deal with some criminals who embarked on looting property during the midnight fire outbreak that destroyed multimillion property of traders in Igede Ekiti, in Irepodun Ifelodun local government area of the state.

The governor promised to investigate the masterminds of the looting and bring them to justice. He described the action as an extreme display of wickedness, which he said shouldn’t occur in an ideal society.

Oyebanji stated this in Igede Ekiti during his visit for an on-the-spot assessment of the fire outbreak that engulfed two buildings, comprising six shops and other residential apartments.

The inferno, which started around 1:30 am, razed down two buildings and destroyed property worth millions of naira before the men of Ekiti State Fire Services intervened to rescue the situation.

Addressing the victims, Oyebanji represented by the Deputy Governor, Mrs Monisade Afuye, sympathised with the victims, pledging that the government would intervene to palliate their sufferings through relief materials.

He, however, expressed gratitude to God that no life was lost during the midnight fire that destroyed the two buildings and many shops.

Oyebanji said that the inferno may have resulted from an electricity spark occasioned by high voltage and melting of wires, saying it is expedient for shop owners to always turn off their lights at night.

The Governor also visited the palace of Onigede of Igede Ekiti, Oba James Aladesuru to sympathise with the monarch on the highly painful occurrence and promised that his government shall swiftly commence enumeration of the property lost for intervention.

“We sympathize with you. The news about these losses was not pleasurable to our governor. But we are assuring you that we will intervene,” he said.

“The operatives of the Ekiti State Emergency Management Agency will soon come to do the enumeration of the victims and the estimate of the losses incurred.

“I am not really happy that some people were looting property when they were to help safeguard the situation. This is bad and wicked. We are going to investigate this and whoever is indicted shall be arrested and prosecuted accordingly.”

One of the victims, Mr Chinedu Nbamu, appreciated the governor for the visit, urging that those who looted property should be investigated and arrested to serve as deterrent to others.

Nbamu, who described the incident as worrisome and painful, added that no one could ascertain the source of the inferno while debunking the claim that the fire surged from his multimillion-naira shop.

Expressing grief over the occurrence, the Onigede of Igede Ekiti, Oba James Aladesuru, appreciated the governor for displaying compassion and empathy at this highly excruciating time for the victims.

The monarch appealed to the government to act swiftly and offer palliatives to return to their businesses as quickly as possible.