Broadcaster Oriyomi Hamzat has expressed solidarity with gospel singer Yinka Ayefele after his radio station Fresh FM was gutted by fire on Friday night.
The founder of Agidigbo FM shared a picture of the affected building on Instagram on Saturday, along with a message of support.
“I stand with Dr. Yinka Ayefele and the entire Fresh FM family in this trying moment. The fire incident is indeed an unfortunate one, but we are grateful to God that no life was lost.
“Your resilience and courage have always been an inspiration, and I have no doubt that you and your team will rise from this stronger. Please accept my solidarity and prayers as you recover. Know that you are not alone. We are with you all the way,” he wrote.
QEDng earlier reported that the incident occurred at the station’s premises in Felele, Ibadan South-West Local Government Area of Oyo State.
Media personality Samuel Arugboboisi first raised the alarm on social media, calling for help.
“Fresh FM is currently on fire! We urgently need the Fire Service to respond immediately. Please spread the word and alert the nearest station,” his post read.
The station later confirmed the development in a statement signed by its group head of corporate affairs Samson Akindele.
“We are sad to inform the general public that the head office of Fresh FM Nigeria, Challenge – Ibadan was razed by a devastating fire incident this evening, August 15, 2025.
“In the ensuing mishap, the studios of Fresh 105.9 and Blast 98.3 were badly burnt, with proximal offices like the newsroom, the transmitter/server room and several equipment that got razed during active operations.
“All efforts to fight the fire, before the arrival of the professional fire fighters, with our in-house fire extinguishers proved abortive because of the strength of the inferno.
“We can’t immediately quantify the extent of the damage caused by the devastating inferno, the cause of which is also yet to be ascertained presently.
“We heartily appreciate everyone good-spirited Nigerians who joined us in fighting the inferno. From the residents around our studio complex who were the first responders to passersby and the officials of the Oyo Fire Service, we appreciate everyone for their assistance during the emergency,” the statement read.
Fresh FM began operations in 2015 after receiving its licence on April 30 of that year. It is one of the most popular stations in Ibadan with branches in Abeokuta, Ado-Ekiti, Akure, Osogbo and Lagos.
The cause of the fire is yet to be determined as of press time.
