Thugs demolish 2,000 shops at Ladipo market

A section of Ladipo Market in Odo-Aladura, Mushin area of Lagos State, was yesterday invaded by armed thugs, who demolished over 2,000 shops and destroyed goods worth millions of naira.
The area mostly affected is the BAKKASI Zone, where one of the contenders to a portion of the market, the Owoyemi family, allegedly used one tout to carry out the demolition.
Eyewitness reports had it that thugs came in company of security personnel with an unmarked Black Maria around 3a.m. to demolish the market.

A trader, who gave his name as Uchenna, said: “The matter is before a court, but surprisingly, no meaningful solution had been proffered. This apparently led to one faction fighting for possession by taking law into their hands.
“Two weeks ago, thugs also invaded the market in an attempt to demolish it. We chased them away and defended our shops.
“But they came around 2a.m. because they knew we would not be there to defend our goods. They looted our shops.”
Another trader, Chukwudozie Nnamdi, explained that they had been given two weeks’ notice by the owner of the land to vacate the premises on the ground that they wanted to construct a modern building.
“We went to court because the two weeks’ notice was too short and we got an injunction for two months extension. But the court order was flouted, as the owners brought thugs to demolish the shops this morning (yesterday).”
Chairman of Ladipo Central Executive Auto Dealers Association, LACEADA, Mr. Kingsley Ogunor, said the traders were overwhelmed by their losses.
Ogunor said: “You can see the level of destruction of people’s wealth. They killed Anene Utasi recently. We had planned his wake keep for today. They went ahead to demolish the market.”
The presence of armed policemen and Armoured Personnel Carriers, APCs, stationed at the scene checkmated further uproar.