Hoodlums in the early hours of Saturday invaded the popular Agbeni Market in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital, ransacked five shops and made away with goods worth millions of naira.

Not only this, the hoodlums after the operation razed the shops in order to cover the act.

Correspondent Kunle Ojo who was at the scene of the incident learnt that the hoodlums suspected to be from the area arrived around 5 am while the operation lasted for one hour.

Some of the residents who noticed the flame from the affected shops alerted officers of the Oyo State fire service around 6 am.

It was gathered that the firefighters who raced to the scene were repelled by the hoodlums, who attacked them with cutlasses and other dangerous weapons.

Firefighters later returned to the scene following the intervention of officers from the Oyo state security outfits code-named, Operation Burst but the damage has been done.

Some of the victims and other traders at the market decried the extent of the damage done by the inferno.

The Director of Fire Service in Oyo State Moshood Adewuyi confirmed that the damage was done by the hoodlums adding that his men were also attacked.

While he condemned the action of the hoodlums, the Director of Fire Service urged residents of Oyo State and other Nigerians to see security as a collective responsibility.

As at the time of this report, two suspects have been arrested by officers of Operation Burst in connection with the incident.