The Lagos state government have made a strange discovery in the 2-day demolition of the popular Oshodi market in the commercial capital of Nigeria which has led to bitter agitations by the traders.
The demolished market
Following the hue and cry over demolition of the popular Owonifari Electronic Market loop at Oshodi, the Lagos State government has said that the market had to go following its security threats to residents of the state according to Guardian News.
State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Steve Ayorinde, at an inter ministerial chat with reporters on Thursday, said that the demolition exercise on Tuesday and Wednesday actually confirmed some of their fears, “as we discovered concrete bunker and arms underneath the shops.”
The government said though the matter of relocation had been on for about 10 years, recent intelligence report and criminal activities around Oshodi during the festive season, informed the drastic action of the state government.
The government said plans were already in top gear to begin the construction of a world-class bus terminus in the loop. It would be recalled that bulldozers swung into action late Tuesday night, destroying over 1000 shops in the Owonifari loop following a quit notice served to the occupants on December 21, 2015.
Contrary to the claims that the 16-day notice order was too short, Ayorinde said that the issue dated back to 10 years, with back and forth negotiations held with leadership of the market on relocation to a larger Isopakodowo market about 200 metres from the demolished site.
He stressed that the move was in the best interest of everyone, adding that the state government could not have been more magnanimous with the conditions of the new market and the rate at which the new shops were rented out.