Millions lost as fire razes Police wives’ shops in Edo

Barely a day after a violent protest over repeated kidnappings in Ekpoma, the administrative headquarters of Esan West Local Government Area, several stores belonging to the wives of police officers were reportedly destroyed by fire.

The Public Relations Officer of the Edo State Police Command, ASP Eno Ikoedem, confirmed the incident in a statement, but clarified that social media reports claiming a Police Station in Ekpoma was also burnt were false.

He described the circulating reports about the Police Station as “misleading, reckless, and untrue,” assuring the public that no police facility had been affected by the fire.

She, however, disclosed that there was a fire outbreak that gutted the Police Officers’ Wives Association, POWA, complex in the locality.

The Command’s image maker, in a statement dated January 12, 2026 and made available to newsmen in Benin-City described the viral video of the alleged Police Station fire incident as entirely untrue and calculated to misinform the public, generate panic, and undermine public confidence.

“The actual incident occurred on Sunday, January 11, 2026, at about 11:30 am when electricity supply was restored by the Benin Electricity Distribution Company, BEDC, and a spark reportedly emanated from one of the shops within the Powa Shops area of Ekpoma Division, igniting a fire that spread across several adjoining shops.

“Swift intervention by Police personnel in collaboration with members of the public helped to contain and extinguish the fire, preventing further escalation. Although the value of the properties damaged is yet to be ascertained, no life was lost.

“The Command strongly condemns the deliberate spread of false information by individuals and content creators who, in their desperate pursuit of social media relevance, propagate unverified and sensational narratives capable of causing public panic, economic disruption, and security threats, highlighting that such reckless misinformation does not only mislead the public but also diverts emergency resources, damages institutional credibility, and may trigger avoidable unrest,” the Edo Police spokesperson said.

She advised members of the public to always verify information from credible and official sources before sharing.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in the State, Monday Agbonika, reassured residents of Ekpoma and the general public that the security situation remains calm and fully under control.

Agbonika also urged citizens to remain law-abiding and to disregard all unverified social media reports capable of inciting fear or confusion.

Very Nigerian reports that a viral video posted by a Facebook user by the name #KingMizKidMedia claimed that a building before the Police Station at Barrack Road, Ekpoma, was gutted by fire.

The video showed heavy flames of the fire outbreak in the area

A narrator said all the stores along the road were all burnt.

“This is Barrack Road, the building before the Police Station. From the beginning to the end, all stores were burnt. You can’t remove any property,” the narrator said in the video.

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