Traders’ killings: Bodija market still shut

[Mirror]

A week after nine traders from Bodija market in Ibadan, Oyo State, were killed in Maiduguri, Borno State by suspected members of Boko Haram, the market still remained shut.

A visit to the market yesterday showed that over 150 shops and stalls at the beans section of the market were still under lock and key.

Some of the traders told our correspondent that they were mourning their colleagues murdered on their way from Mugunu beans farm last Friday.

The bodies of the traders were received from Maiduguri on Tuesday by the executives of the Bodija market union and handed over to their relatives for burial.

Speaking with journalists, a trader at the beans section, Mrs. Bola Lawal, said "we are in mourning mood over the death of our members killed by Boko Haram last week. That is why we shut our shops".

Fully armed policemen were also patrolling every section of the market.

This, according to the Public Relations Officer of the market union, Mr. Akeem Emiola, is to forestall reprisal attacks by Yoruba traders in the market.

Emiola, who spoke on behalf of the Chairman of the union, Mr. Olalekan Azeez (a.k.a Energy), said the executives did not order any of the traders to shut their shops, adding that they were mourning their colleagues.

The spokesman also dismissed the possibility of the traders staging any protest.

He said: "It is not in our plan to carry out any protest. The state governor has not offended us. It is not the fault of Governor Abiola Ajimobi but that of the Federal Government.

"We have been working together peaceful until the unfortunate incident. Security at the market is very tight now, but we have appealed to our members to maintain peace.

"What happened is not the fault of anybody. It is our responsibility to work and that of the government is to provide security but they have failed us."

"The best thing for us is to separate from these Hausa people. If I go to Ghana or Cotonou my safety is guaranteed but in Nigeria you are not safe in the North, so what is the essence of being together. The government keeps saying that it is on top of the situation but people are being killed everyday."

National Mirror