•As three traders lose their lives
No fewer than three traders have lost their lives in less than a week, consequent upon the resolution of the Lagos State Government to proceed with the demolition of 795 shops at the Alaba Mile 12 market in contravention of the order of the High Court of Lagos State.
The market leader at the Alaba section of the Mile 12 market, Modupe Ojo, who thronged the Ikeja High Court alongside over 500 traders, on Thursday, gave the names of the deceased traders who she said died of shock including Mujidat Suleiman, Adejoke Olawole and Ademola.
According to her, the children that the deceased traders left behind are with them in the struggle.
While tracing the genesis of the crisis to October 26, 2022 when a notice of contravention was pasted, Ojo said the state government commenced demolition two days after the notice.
She further posited that they decided to approach the court for justice when the Iyaloja-General of Lagos State, Mrs. Iyabo Ojo, allegedly refused to plead on behalf of those affected but urged them to collect forms and make payment.
In her words: “I am in court to seek justice for these poor people, despite the interim injunction, they are working there with over 200 thugs and policemen” adding that the traders want the government to stop the demolition.
“Let us sit on a roundtable and talk, they should compensate our people. We welcome innovation, we don’t want war”, she said.
Also on his part, a leader in the electronic section, Mr. Clement Eze, argued that the land was allocated to them by the state government and that they developed the market with private funds.
"We have papers of allocation with the receipt of payment. The state government should tell us what it wants, and I can assure you that we will be able to upgrade it to the state government's standard.
In his remarks, counsel for the traders, Mr. Mutiu Quadri, described the incident as a humanitarian crisis.
According to him, the shops were illegally destroyed overnight based on an order from the Ikosi Isheri LCDA.
Meanwhile, during proceedings on the matter, the court presided over by Justice Oluyemi, extended the Interim Injunction granted in favour of the traders until March 30, 2023, pending the determination of the Motion on Notice.
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