We found concrete bunker, firearms in demolished market, says Lagos govt

Following the hue and cry over demolition of the popular Owonifari electronic market loop in Oshodi, the Lagos State government yesterday said the market had to go following its security threats to residents of the state.
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.

State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Steve Ayorinde, at an inter-ministerial chat with reporters on Thursday, said the demolition actually confirmed some of their fears, “as we discovered concrete bunker and arms underneath the shops.”
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 1,000 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 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.
Commissioner for the Environment, Dr. Babatunde Adejare, said contrary to claims in some quarters, none of the occupants’ properties were destroyed in the demolition. “On Tuesday night, we found that all the occupants have complied and moved to the new market. The only one that remained actually called us to say that he was in the East burying his late mother. For that one, we had to evacuate his properties and they are safe with us. So, nothing was destroyed in the exercise.”

Some of the traders while lamenting their loss, said, they watched helplessly as their investments valued at billions of naira were buried in the rubbles of the demolition, while some officials of the security machinery helped themselves by carting away some of their wares.
Chidi Chidion, a dealer in pay TV equipment and accessories, said it was painful looking at the rubbles that used to be his investment. “I have been doing business in Oshodi for the past 10 years and I invested all my money and time in it. I was arrested by the Police on Saturday night as I tried to move some my goods out from the shops and was taken to Alausa, where I was detained for three days before being released on Monday. I had little time to pack my things. I have goods worth over five million naira, that is excluding my shop which is valued at N10 million,” he said while trying to hold back his tears.

For Amos Ajah, a dealer in televisions, home theaters, DVDs and generators, “the day is not good at all. My three shops have been turned to ruins. I could not take away a pin from the shops. My asset in the market is valued at N50 million,” he said.
He added, “I had moved some of the wares away but when the market leadership told us the issue had been settle, I went to bring them back. See what it has cost me. The problem is that the market leadership took the matter to court. I guess that angered them the more as they (government) alleged that we didn’t vote for them during the election.”