Traders in the popular Ile-Epo Foodstuff Market in Agbado Oke-Odo Local Council Development Area were yesterday evicted from shops as the Lagos State government demolished their market to pave way for the development of ultramodern market.

Saturday Telegraph gathered that as early as 8am, bulldozers were seen pulling down structures in the market while scores of armed task force officials, observed the demolition of the market and ensured that there was no resistance from the traders. As the bulldozers pulled down the structures, others used sledge hammers in demolishing the market while many traders made frantic efforts to evacuate their goods.

Many ran helter-skelter to salvage their wares. Confused about where to keep their displaced items, some of the evicted traders packed their wares on the median and on the roads leading to serious traffic gridlock on the axis. Although, the traders confirmed that they were given notice to evacuate the market, they said the notice was too short.

They called on the government to come to their aid as they had nowhere to go. It was gathered that the demolition was carried out by the Agbado Oke-Odo LCDA, in conjunction with the developer, Total Value Integrated Limited. Also speaking a trader, who simply identified himself as Zakariya said he does not know where to go after his shop had been demolished, but he admitted that the traders were given notices to vacate the market.

While calling on Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to come to their aid, a woman who identified herself as Mama Muiz lamented that their means of livelihood had been taken away from them. Mrs. Augustina Egbuonu, 68, who claimed to be the Financial Secretary of the Ile-Epo Market Association, said she had been at the market for 20 years and that she invested N18 million there, but lamented that it had gone down the drain with the demolition.

The 68-year-old woman alleged that the developer, the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW and the council connived to drive them out of the market so that they could give the union a park inside the market.

But reacting to the allegation of short notice, the Managing Director, Total Value Integrated Limited, Chris Onyekachi, said the traders were giving 18 months notice to vacate the market for redevelopment. He added that while some had left the market, others refused to do so. According to him: “We gave them nothing short of 18 months notice to leave the market. Many of them have packed out while some remained. We came here around 7:30am for the demolition. We have given them alternative place in the market.

“We are not demolishing the whole market now. We are doing it in three phases,” he said, adding that the market was an eyesore not befitting a mega city like Lagos. Onyekachi faulted claims that the developer connived with the NURTW and the council to drive the traders out of the market, saying it was all a rumour as there was no element of truth in the claim. “People will always peddle rumour but we have nothing to do with the union to takeover the market. We gave them good time to leave.

The place is an eyesore. What we are doing is for the good of the public,” he said. He added that once the redevelopment of the market was complete, the traders would be given preference at discounted rate to own shops in the market before others. Onyekachi said change was always hard to come by and that people would normally resist such, but that in the end, it would be for the good of all. He added that the first phase of the market redevelopment would be completed between three and four months.

The redevelopment project was awarded to the investor, Total Value Integrated Limited, the company that will redevelop the market within 12 months from the commencement of construction. The developer is committing about N2 billion to redevelop the market.

.new telegraph