I have personally and officially followed closely, the
case of Ladipo Market, Mushin LGA Lagos. I assert that the closing down of
Ladipo Market by the Lagos State Government and the arrest, detention and
dehumanizing of Igbo traders in that market is a clear case of oppression and
injustice by powerful, primordial forces intent on dislodging the traders,
dispossessing them of their assets and taking over a market they built with
their own sweat and resources.
This is the culmination of a long-drawn scheme and
ceaseless attempts by these self-serving and base individuals and forces to
forcefully and illegally throw out the traders and take over their market, in
utter violation of subsisting agreements that the traders will run the market
for a specified period of time having spent their money constructing structures
in the market.
The claims of 'environmental degradation',
'obstruction of traffic and drainage', etc are fraudulent pretext and sheer
subterfuge for what is apparently a case of ethnic persecution fuelled by
hatred and the individual avarice of some people who have over the years nursed
the ambition to take over the market -- and have on several occasions -- and up
to December 2012, used both the police and thugs to harass, intimidate, hound
and even made attempts on the lives of the leadership and members of the traders
association.
A section of the media has also been employed to
propagate falsehood in furtherance of the dubious agenda of the masterminds of
this wicked act. Those innocent traders branded 'bakasi boys' and currently
detained by the police must be released.
The issues leading to, and surrounding, the closure of
the market should be transparently investigated and truth and justice must
prevail!
Okechukwu Nwanguma
Advocacy Coordinator,
Network on Police Reform in Nigeria
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