Sorrow, Tears Flow As FCTA Demolish Dutse Alhaji Market

It was a big shock to residents and traders around Dutse Alhaji, a community in the Bwari Area Council (BAC), as they woke to the sight of bulldozers which leveled the once popular community market to the ground.A victim who pleaded anonymity said security men had arrived the scene as early as 5am while the bulldozing began as early as 6am.Speaking
with LEADERSHIP Friday, Chairman Shop Owners Association Dutse Market, David Okuawo, said the shop owners had no knowledge of the demolition. “The traders, according to BAC said they had series of meeting , but as far as we are concerned, we, the shop owners, are thelandlords of the market. Instead of calling us for a meeting, they (BAC) were meeting with the traders. So we went to court and sought a court injunction where it was agreed that there will be no demolition until we have had a talk. But we were surprised this morning to see them come to demolish the market,” he said.Speaking on the agreement between the BAC and the shop owners Oguawo sontinues, “The BAC sold an empty land and we built it and that is the right we have to be shop owners. They gave us allocation letters and we have been paying levies and dues to the area council. For some of us therewas an agreement where ownership was to expire after 15/25 years respectively, while some of the certificates have life durations and have not expired. We have all these information”Refuting the claims that traders had no idea about the demolition, Head of Department (HOD) Environment, BAC, Haruna Labaran, said, “The traders were sufficiently notified of the demolition. In fact, we should have demolished since last month before the fasting, but they pleaded that we should wait immediately after Sallah to come and do our job. So we came after Sallah and mobilized them. In fact, we were here until 6pm with them yesterday, so they are very aware of the demolition.”Reacting to the need for the demolition, the HOD said, “We have a new structure and we want to erect a modern market which is for their own benefit. I have no idea of the cost implication because it is a private partnership between the traders and the BAC, but there is an alternative arrangement for them, which they have refused to move to, but with the demolition, they would be forced to move there now”He said that only the chairman of BAC can speak on who is a shop owner and who is a trader.However, the traders said that the BAC never alerted them to the demolitions as no discussions were held between the council and shop owners.
A trader, Janet Oladapo, who lost her shop in the demolition, said, “There wasn’t any written announcement, it was just rumors that they were going to demolish. There was never a meeting between us (traders) and the BAC. The chairman of the market traders was the only one going to meet with them.”