There seems to be no end in sight to the embattled traders of Fancy and Furniture section of Alaba International Market as over 600 traders whose shops were allegedly locked have kicked against what they described as illegal and arbitrary closure of the shops.
The market, had in recent times, being rocked by leadership crisis which has brought undue animosity among members.
As at the last count, the traders have protested more than six times since the beginning of the year over alleged impunity, injustice, sack of elected officers etc. They had appealed to government and security agencies for rescue but it appears their opponents are untouchables.
Our correspondent reports that the evicted traders who stoutly opposed the recent act caused stampede as. many people ran for safety even as drivers abandoned their vehicles in the middle of the road, running for cover at more secured places.
If not for the prompt intervention of policemen from Ojo Police station, the market would have been in ruins as those affected threatened to fight back with all at their disposal.
The traders who again displayed placards with various inscriptions such as “Buhari/Ambode save us;” “Rule of law must prevail;” “Obosi, Okoafor, Nwakunna, Mozoba respect the Court,” alleged that the identified names and agents compelled them to pay N300,000 levy per shop, disregarding the fact that the matter is pending before a competent Court
Spokes person of the affected traders, Mr. Ike Chigozie said “the traders have frequently been extorted unduly and subjected to threats by the factional group at this period of economic crunch. Some of them do not even have shops in the market but would at will, forcefully task us, to pay N300,000 to them, after collecting N50,000 recently from traders.”
Chigozie listed the affected shops as A70,-A70K, A71 and A71M.
He however wondered why members of the factional executives, who are parties in an on going Court matter, with suit number: BD/90/13 at the Lagos High Court, Badagry, would take laws into their hands by evicting the traders.
He said furthered: “The union is not our landlord and cannot force us to pay them rent. Besides, they are parties to a suit in the High Court, Badagry, where the Judge had directed that status quo be maintained, but now they take laws into their hands.”
Alleging compromise by the Divisional Police Office (DPO) at the Ojo Police Division, the spokes person, said that they earlier protested to the DPO, who had assured he would uphold the Rule of Law but suddenly reneged.
However the DPO Mr Abubakar Umoru denied the allegation of compromise. Contending that he discharged his duties in line with the law without being partisan.
