Following the restlessness experienced in the state recently, market women in Oja Oba, Lagos Island, headed by Iya Oloja, Alhaja Ramotalahi Adisa, have pleaded with the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, and the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, to block loopholes and avoid recurrence of life threatening crises.
The market women, during a peaceful protest, expressed their displeasure over the difficulties they faced in the hands of hoodlums. They alleged that some of their shops were burgled by unknown hoodlums while several goods were carted away.
One of the protesters, who simply identified herself as Iya Risi, said, “We seriously need government to come to our aid on this issue because we can no longer trade with peace of mind in the market. Some of our shops were burgled and our goods were stolen.
“Some months ago, some people were axed in front of my shop and panic made some of us to leave our shops for some time before we came back there.” Another trader, Mr Omolaso, added that traders in the market were currently going through tough time in the hands of the hoodlums as their lives were being threatened by the various groups that had taken over the market.
“As I am talking to you, we cannot do anything without fear again. We live in fear everyday because of these people, and the report we hear is that they are not from
this community. All our efforts to curtail them yielded nothing because they seem
too powerful. We have called on the police in this area, but it seems they need more reinforcement from above,” he said.
Meanwhile, the leader of the market called on Governor Ambode to help restore
peace in the area where most of the old people earned their living.
“Governor Ambode should help us curtail the menace of the hoodlums in this area, especially in the market. Our market has almost turned empty because of these people who terrorise us. And because of them, people are now avoiding the market and this is affecting us a lot. I am calling on the governor and commissioner of police to please help us deploy their people here to ensure peace,” she said.
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