Thieves sack traders at Abuja’s biggest market

Suspected thieves have forced many traders to flee the Abuja Regional Market, Deidei, two months after their relocation to the market by the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council, AMMC.  Traders and other stakeholders in the market comprising shops owners and vigilantes during a meeting at the market on Saturday lamented that the situation had caused setback […]

Suspected thieves have forced many traders to flee the Abuja Regional Market, Deidei, two months after their relocation to the market by the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council, AMMC. 

Traders and other stakeholders in the market comprising shops owners and vigilantes during a meeting at the market on Saturday lamented that the situation had caused setback to the progress of the new market.

Aso Chronicle learnt that several traders have abandoned their shops for fear of having their shops burgled by suspected thieves.

A member of the vigilante in the area who sought for anonymity, said the stakeholders in the market had engaged them to help in keeping the market safe and they recruited about 20 additional personnel to deal with the situation.

He, however, said there was a snag when Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC) who gave the directive to engage the vigilantes failed to pay as promised. 

Chairman of traders and shops owners association of the market, Alhaji Tukur Abubakar, told our reporter that the market which was initially planned to be commissioned last December by the FCT Minister, Muhammad Musa Bello, could not be realized due to the absence of some needed infrastructure inside and around the facility. 

He said in an effort to boost the activities in the market, AMMC had forced traders operating by the road sides around the market to relocate there, and also demolished corner shops. 

Leader of the women traders association in the market, Mrs. Mary Odiegwu, said when they relocated to the market newly, they were getting patronage but since some traders left, patronage had dropped.

She said the thieves burgled their shops during odd hours.

Mr Chukwuma Agbo who is the vice chairman of the association, called on the FCT to complete the remaining infrastructure in the market as promised, adding that the market if completed would decongest the other markets at the city as planned, and also boost the revenue generation of government.            

When contacted, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Gwagwa, CSP Gbola Adigun, said the police have done their best in riding the area of hoodlums. He said the Division in conjunction with the Area Command have raided the place severally and chased the hoodlums away but that some return at night.

“The unoccupied section of the market has been a conducive place for the hoodlums to hide and carry out their nefarious activities so I would advise that the market is completed and occupied so that our policing job will be easier,” he said.

Also, the Head of Public Relations of AMMC, Mrs Grace Zamani, urged the vigilantes to be patient since they were the ones who offered to help police the market. She said even if the council made an agreed to pay them stipends the  budget is yet to be passed.

She said the authorities were determined to commission the market so that traders will occupy their shops.