Traders Lament Overnight Demolition of Mowe/Ofada Market, Seek Ogun Govt’s Intervention
ABEOKUTA — Traders at the Mowe/Ofada Market in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State have decried the demolition of the market by the Ogun State Government, alleging that the exercise was carried out without prior notice and resulted in the destruction of goods worth over N500 million.
The aggrieved traders said the demolition exercise was carried out in the early hours of Friday, at about 2:00 a.m., before they arrived for their daily business activities.
Speaking with journalists during an inspection visit to the demolished market, one of the affected traders, Mrs. Kabira Ajiboye, lamented that there was no official notice informing traders of the government’s intention to demolish the market.
According to her, officials of the Ministry of Urban and Physical Planning had visited the market sometime in 2023 during the local government elections but suspended plans to demolish the structures after traders informed them that they paid their rents to the local government authority.
She said: “There was no demolition notice whatsoever. In 2023, officials from the Ministry of Environment came here during the local government election period, but when we explained that we paid our rents to the local government, they left and did not carry out any demolition.
“This time around, they did not issue any notice. We arrived at our stalls this morning only to discover that everything had been demolished. Goods worth over N500 million have been destroyed.”
Ajiboye accused the authorities of carrying out the exercise without considering the plight of the traders, many of whom, she said, relied solely on their businesses for survival.
“At the very least, they should have shown a human face, compassion while carrying out the exercise. They should have allowed us to remove our goods before demolishing our shops. This is a bad omen for a government seeking the support of the people.
“How can you whip people and still expect them to smile? We got here this morning and saw armed policemen stationed everywhere,” she said.
The trader appealed to Governor Dapo Abiodun to intervene by providing an alternative location for the affected traders to continue their businesses.
She further disclosed that many of the traders had secured loans to establish their small-scale businesses, lamenting that the demolition had left them devastated and uncertain about their means of livelihood.
When contacted, the Ogun State Commissioner for Urban and Physical Planning, Tpl. Tunji Odunlami declined comment on the demolition by officials of the ministry.
As of the time of filing this report, officials of the Ogun State Government had yet to issue an official statement on the demolition exercise.
