By Ahmed Ajikobi
Following the shutdown of the Adewole central market, Ilorin over bloody skirmishes on Saturday, the Kwara state government has this morning reopened the market for commercial activities.
The government in a statement issued by the Commissioner for Business, Innovation and Technology, Ibrahim Akaje said efforts have begun, to resolve all the matters leading to the breach of peace in the market.
National Pilot findings on the breach of peace at the market over weekend revealed that some shops were burgled by some hoodlums living inside the market and some suspects were arrested after the victims reported the situation to police in that jurisdiction.
The arrest, according to an eyewitness account, did not go down well with some allies of the arrested people who agitated for their released but met the brick wall.
The continued detention of these people angered their allies, who went a rampage and started destroying property on sight and other valuable goods.
Another source said a group of Hausa-speaking people engaged in a fight with the security agencies deployed to the market to calm the situation.
“ That led to the destruction of goods worth several millions of Naira in the market, while the windscreen of several vehicles were destroyed by hoodlums.”
The kwara state police command spokesperson SP Ajayi Okasanmi said, it was a misunderstanding between two groups of tomatoes and pepper sellers in Mandate market that led to the fracas.
, ”The Commissioner of Police KWARA State, CP Paul Odama psc+ has dispatched teams of Police men to the scene, calm is gradually being restored.
“Full details of both immediate and remote cause(s) of the incident would be made public as soon as the investigation is concluded. No casualties on the sides of the marketers or the police have been recorded as at now”.
Also reacting, the public relations officer of NSCDC, Ayeni Olasunkanmi who also confirmed the skirmishes at the market said, “The issue there was an aftermath of a raid carried out by the Nigeria Police in the market due to complaints from the marketers that some shop breakers used to operate inside the market at night.
“Some suspects arrested are Hausa and their people are insisting that the police should release them.
“The situation there is under control. Other sister agencies are there to ensure that the situation is calm.”
