Several shops were destroyed on Friday following a fire outbreak at Bode Market in the Molete area of Ibadan.

The cause of the inferno had yet to be determined as of the time this report was filed.

DAILY POST observed that operatives of the Oyo State Fire Service were seen at the scene working to contain the fire and stop it from spreading to other sections of the market.

As of press time, details regarding the exact number of shops affected and the scale of losses suffered by traders remained unclear.

The incident comes only weeks after a similar fire outbreak occurred at Dugbe Market in Ibadan.

A Federal High Court in Kano State has ordered the remand of two Katsina State residents, Sani Mamman and Abubakar Umar, over allegations of aiding bandit activities.

The defendants were arraigned on charges bordering on alleged support for bandits in violation of provisions of the Terrorism Prevention Act.

According to the prosecution, Mamman, a resident of Ruwan Godiya in Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State, was allegedly engaged in March 2025 to transport suspected bandits to a forest in Faskari.

He was accused of committing offences contrary to Section 13(a), (b) and (c) of the Terrorism Prevention Act.

Mamman, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge, telling the court that he was not a driver as alleged but earned a living selling beans with a wheelbarrow.

He also informed the court that although his father was deceased, his mother resides in Funtua.

The prosecution counsel, Hadiza Adamu Yabani, told the court that the defendant had remained in custody since his arrest in March 2025.

The second defendant, Abubakar Umar, a resident of Rimi Local Government Area of Katsina State, was arrested on December 2, 2024, for allegedly attempting to transport arms and ammunition to bandits.

Prosecutors said the offence was also contrary to Section 13 of the Terrorism Prevention Act.

Umar denied the allegation, insisting that he was not involved in the offence.

He told the court that farming and the sale of perishable goods were his means of livelihood before his arrest.

Defence counsel, H.A. Kalmaten, informed the court that he had taken over the case from I.I. Umar after consultations with the defendants.

Presiding Judge, Justice S.M. Shuaibu, adjourned the matter to July 7 and 8, 2026, for commencement of trial and ordered that the defendants be remanded in a correctional facility within the court’s jurisdiction pending further proceedings.

Residents of Adebiopon village in the Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State were thrown into shock on Wednesday after a 50-year-old traditional priest, Muritala Shodiya, allegedly set himself ablaze.

Sources within the community told our correspondence on Thursday that the incident occurred on Wednesday evening when the deceased reportedly poured petrol on himself inside an uncompleted building before igniting the fire.

Residents were said to have quickly intervened by extinguishing the flames before rushing him to the General Hospital, Ijaye, Abeokuta, where he later died on Thursday morning.

Shodiya, popularly known in the community as “Ifa,” was widely recognised for his involvement in fortune-telling and Ifa worship.

He was said to have practised for years in the Ijaye area before relocating to Adebiopon Village.

A community source, who spoke anonymously because of the sensitive nature of the incident, alleged that the traditional priest had recently shown signs of emotional distress following marital challenges.

“We learnt that he set himself on fire. He had not been himself since his wife left him for another man. He had been showing signs of depression,” the source said.

Another resident, identified simply as Kazeem, said villagers made frantic efforts to rescue the victim after noticing him engulfed in flames.

“We rushed to the scene to save his life. We put out the fire and took him to the hospital, but I just heard this morning that he has died,” Kazeem said.

He added that although rumours initially circulated that some individuals might have been responsible for the incident, preliminary accounts suggested that the deceased acted alone.

“Although some people claimed that other people set him on fire, he actually set himself ablaze. He crawled out of the bush while he was on fire.

“He formerly lived in Ijaye-Adebakin, Abeokuta, before moving to Adebiopon Village in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area,” he added.

Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Ogun State Police Command, Babaseyi Oluseyi, said an investigation had commenced into the circumstances surrounding the case.

“On July 1, 2026, a 50-year-old man, Muritala Shodiya, allegedly set himself ablaze after pouring petrol on himself in an uncompleted building at Adebiopon Village,” Oluseyi stated.

“He was rescued and taken to the General Hospital, Ijaye, Abeokuta, for treatment. Police officers visited the scene, documented the incident, and commenced an investigation,” he added.