By Ajibola Adedoye
Following the unlawful and violent demolition of the over 500 shops at the Owode Onirin Motor Spare Parts Market by land-grabbers aided by the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LABSCA), market men and women in their large numbers trooped out on Thursday, March 27, 2025 and marched to Alausa-Ikeja, seat of the Lagos State Government and Lagos State House of Assembly to officially lodged their complain to the Honorable Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly under the leadership of Rt. Honorable Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa.
Leading the traders on the street protest, Comrade Alex Omotehinse, President, Centre for Human and Socio-economic Rights (CHSR) noted that the unlawful and violent demolition of the market is a gross violation of the traders socio-economic rights as over 500 shops were destroyed in the market, hence the immediate intervention of the honorable members, Lagos State House of Assembly to intervene.
According to him, “Owode Motor Spare Part Market is an internationally recognized market that was relocated to their present site along Ikorodu Road from the popular Jankara Market in the Lagos Island by the then Governor of Lagos State, late Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande of blessed memory, sometimes in the early 80s.”
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“The action was not only a mere demolition but a calculated act of economic sabotage and violence against hardworking citizens because Owode Motor Spare Part Market is a vital economic artery for over 40 years which has been serving countless Lagos residents.
Speaking further, Omotehinse alleged that “Security personnel from FCID Alagbon, OP MESA, Task Force and many others purportedly acting under the direction of LASBCA and unknown individual were deployed to intimidate, harass and physically assault traders, the personnel were observed acting outside their lawful mandate, engaging in acts of excessive force and displaying a blatant disregard for the safety and well-being of civilians”.
While calling for immediate, impartial, comprehensive and transparent investigation into the unlawful demolition of over 500 shops with adverse effect on the over 41000 traders at the Owode Motor Spare Parts Market, including the roles played by the security agencies and the sponsored thugs at the scene of the market, Comrade Omotehinse equally called for immediate arrest and prosecution of all individuals involved in the planning and execution of the demolition exercise.
Corroborating the points raised by President of CHSR, Abiodun Hammed, Chairman of Traders in the Owode Motor Spare Parts Market confirmed LABSCA stormed the market at about 4:30am on Thursday, March 6, 2025 without no prior notice and began to pull down buildings in the market and he lost his three shops in the illegal demolition.
According to him, “I was whisked away to the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID Alagbon) where I was detained for hours before I was eventually released on bail with a stringent condition not to move close to the market for three weeks pending the time the market must have been fully demolished. I was also instructed not to intervene on any matter related to the market until there is order to do so from FCID Alagbon.”
Speaking on behalf of Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, Hon. Rasheed Adebola Shabi, representing Lagos Mainland 2, who appreciated the traders for their orderliness to the protestants that the House currently on recess.
He however promised that the House under the leadership of Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa will speedily look into the matter by calling all the concerned parties to appear in a Committee that will be set up to investigate and report to the House on the peaceful resolution into the matter.
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