Hausa traders, LG disagree over relocation

by Temitayo Famutimi

Hausa traders in Kara Market, Ibafo, on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, have kicked against the planned relocation of the market by Obafemi-Owode Local Government, Ogun State. The local government had on March 6 issued a seven-day ultimatum to the traders to quit the market.

The LG had ordered that all sheds, buildings and structures on the location be removed to enable it to construct a modern market on the site.

There was a pandemonium at that end of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Wednesday as the traders, who are mostly Hausa blocked the expressway to express their grievances.

The quick intervention of policemen from the Ibafo Divisional Headquarters prevented the incident from turning into a fracas.

One of the traders, Mr. Umar Ahmad, told PUNCH Metro that it was wrong for the LG to evict them from the market he claimed was founded by the Hausa community.

Ahmad said, "This place was a virgin land when we first inhabited it in February 1999.The whole place was a thick forest. We opened up the land. We sleep here and earn our living here. We have got nowhere to go to.

"Even if they want us out of here for whatever reason best known to them, they should at least relocate us to another place .I think it's very unfair for them to just demolish our homes and business structures and leave us stranded."

One of the market leaders, Mr. Bashir Sarkin-Pawa, accused the LG authorities of insincerity.

Sarkin-Pawa said, "When this whole issue of eviction started we were relocated to a stretch of land across the expressway not far from here. My people obeyed the LG's order. We all moved and we subsequently erected our structures there.

"After eight days of moving, we just suddenly saw bulldozers demolishing the structures without any prior notice. We lost over N7m we had invested in building those structures. We had no other choice than to go back to our original place.

"Now they are coming back to evict us and leave us in the dark. Though the modern market project is a laudable one, we should not however be treated like refugees because we are also Nigerians. There was no relocation site for us as at Wednesday and yet they wanted to demolish our homes. If not that we protested, we would have been rendered homeless by now.

"The Ogun State Government should intervene in this matter because ethnic crisis is brewing as a result of this issue. Their plan is to render us homeless."

But the transition Chairman of the LG, Mr. Jamiu Balogun, on Thursday said the habitation of the Hausas at the market was illegal.

He said, "The local government had acquired the plots of land for many years back for this market project. We have all the documents with us. They didn't buy the land and it's not their property. This project has come to stay and they must leave.

"We are collaborating with the Ogun State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs to get them a temporary place to stay pending the completion of the market.

"I assure them that they would be given first consideration as regards allocation of stalls on completion of the market."

Dey should relocate to Kano or Sokoto. Very soon they will start killing people in Lagos. Na only mad people we share country with.

"The Ogun State Government should intervene in this
matter because ethnic crisis is brewing as a result of this
issue."
These people are really something. See them threatening ethnic crisis over illegality. They think they can just clear a patch of land and claim ownership. Bloody olodo.

Wahala efry whia for Nigeria.
Boko Haram does not want Christianity and Western education in the North.
Ogun State want Hausa traders to move.

What kind of intolerant human beings are Nigerians?

"After eight days of moving, we just suddenly saw bulldozers demolishing the structures without any prior notice. We lost over N7m we had invested in building those structures. We had no other choice than to go back to our original place.

Lucky you were not bombed!
You have been asked to leave.
Leave. Let them use their markets themselves.
Period!