The Lagos State Government says the demolition of Owonifari Market in Oshodi area of the state was done to further ensure security and bring sanity to the area.
The state’s Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Steve Ayorinde, gave the explanation at a news conference on Thursday while clarifying issues involved in the demolition exercise.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the State Government on Tuesday shut the market and ordered relocation of affected traders and shop owners to the newly built Isopakodowo market stalls at Bolade in the area.
The market was demolished from Tuesday night till the early hours of Wednesday.
Ayorinde said that the traders were formally served a quit notice on Dec.21 before the demolition exercise, through the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development.
“It is important to be informed that the issue of that market had been on for nothing less than 10 years.
“The state government had been engaging with the leadership of the market to say that we could no longer continue with the manner in which that area of the market was being used.
“So, for 10 years, there has been back and forth engagement between the government and the leadership of the market,” he said.
Ayorinde said the leadership of the market, in the last three years, had refused to move.
“Certified that we have provided a befitting alternative, we started another round of engagement with the leadership of the market.
“The governor appealed to them through the Commissioner for Local Government and Community Affairs.
“They met with members of the state executive on Dec. 16, 2015, where the governor reiterated his plans for Oshodi and the need to relocate them.
“A few of them expressed certain misgivings, but largely, they felt that if their interests were accommodated within the Isopakodowo market that they were willing and ready to move.
“We advised that discussions should be ongoing, particularly regarding how much they will pay for each stall within the market,” he said.
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