Hausa/Yoruba Clash: N5m worth goods, property lost to Ilorin mandate market mayhem

By Mike Adeyemi

Traders at the popular mandate market in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital have continued to count their losses following the recent clash between Hausa traders and Yoruba butchers that left many people injured and property worth millions of naira consumed.
Recall that fight broke out over parking rights last Wednesday as some butchers and meat sellers claimed the trailers offloading tomatoes and onions at the market was preventing customers from patronising them.
Speaking with our reporter at the weekend, the Babaloja of Ilorin West Local Government, Alhaji Moshood Alaya put the cost of goods and property lost to the incident at N5million, describing the clash as unfortunate due to the harmonious relationship that exist among traders at the market.
Alaya named 21 cows, gallons of vegetable oil, food items and perishable items among the goods and property lost to the incident.
Speaking further, the Babaloja stated that though no live was lost, he however said over 30 people sustained various injuries and are presently receiving treatments in different health facilities in Ilorin.
He commended the timely intervention of security agencies in the state saying the situation would have been worse but for timely arrival of the men in uniform.
“After the incident, the Director of Commerce called the various unit head in the market particularly the Seriki Hausa and the leader of Yoruba traders to his office at the Ministry of Commerce and Cooperative.
“They all signed an undertaken that such occurrence will never happen again. They also agreed that offloading of goods will henceforth be at the designated park provided at the market square. The duo thereafter promised not to breach the agreement.”
Speaking in the same vein, the Babaloja General of Kwara State, Alhaji Tunde Issa said, “what happened at Mandate Market was a minor issue which later degenerated into a big clash.”
He however claimed the issue has been laid to rest following the intervention of the state Ministry of Commerce and Cooperatives.
“The Ministry of Commerce did the needful by calling both parties to a meeting to sign a peace pact in the presence of the Assistant Commissioner of Police in the state, the developers and the traders’ union.
“A committee has also been set up comprising various tribes in the market to henceforth put a stop to people selling their wares along the road,” he added.
On the monetary worth of damages to lives and property, Issa said the state government has requested traders’ association to come up with full details of damages, adding that “we are waiting to see the next line of action from the government.”
He however urged the general public to continue patronising the market as normalcy had been returned to the facility even as he applauded the state government and security agencies for prompt intervention into the clash.