How Grabbers Chased Out Traders From Planks Market, Destroyed Goods Worth Millions

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE

It was sorrow and pain after hundreds of traders at Ojo Oba plank market in Isheri Olofin area of Lagos woke up in the morning and discovered that their market has been taken over by suspected land grabbers.

 P.M.EXPRESS reports that aside the fact that the traders were attacked and chased out of their market, their properties worth millions of Naira was damaged in the process.

Since last week when the incident happened, they have been loitering on the streets because they cannot access the market and their goods. Those who attempted to enter the market, have not recovered from the injuries they sustained due to the attack by the thugs stationed around the market.

Following the predicament, the traders have gone on protest pleading with the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to come to their aid, prevent the land grabbers from taking over the market and save their families from hunger and starvation.

The traders displayed placards begging the Government to intervene in their plight, save the traders from the ugly incidents and restore their market to them.

Narrating how their problem started, the Vice President of Lagos State Planks Market Association, Comrade Ajibola Ganiyu, said the land in question was acquired by the traders from Idimu LCDA some years ago with approval.

He said that the traders started their businesses and were paying all the necessary fees due to the LCDA until recently when a developer, through his lawyer, brought seven days quit notice and ordered them to vacate from the market.

They contacted the State Ministry of Agriculture, which is in charge of the market and was looking into the matter before the developer wrote a petition to the Police at Area M and three of their leaders were summoned but later released on bail.

He said while the matter was being resolved by the Area Commander, some thugs were sent to the market, who destroyed their goods and fenced the whole market. Comrade Ganiyu said when they got back to the Area Commander, he referred them to the Ministry and Idimu LCDA insisting that it was a civil matter.

He said since then, they have not accessed the market, while traders including him received serious beating and they were taken to hospital for treatment.

The action of the land grabbers has attracted the attention of the Human Rights group, which seeks for the intervention of the Lagos State Governor over the matter.

Comrade Alex Omotehinse, President of the Centre for Human and Socio-economic Rights (CHSR), has called on State Governor to caution the Idimu LCDA for impunity by giving out the market to developer with just seven days notice before invasion by thugs.

He explained that the right of the traders must not be breached and it was criminal for LCDA to have connived with land grabbers to deprive the traders from doing their business. He said that he has notified all the relevant agencies in the State Government to ensure that the market was restored to the traders.

Comrade Alex Omotehinse also blamed the Police to not have intervened over the invasion of the market, which he claimed they might have done due to inducement.