On Tuesday, traders at the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida Central Market, Suleja LGA of Niger, protested alleged multiple levies and taxes by the council authorities. The traders also protested an expansion within the already congested market.

The traders carried placards that expressed their grievances with the council’s decision.

Obilly Nwaeze, the market spokesman, told reporters during the protest that the decisions would further compound the socio-economic challenges of the traders.

“If there are plans to remodel the market or any form of expansion, the traders should be carried along. We are the first to be affected. But in this case, they are not telling us anything (other) than asking us to pay different sums of money and marking our shops for demolition under flimsy excuses,” Mr Nwaeze lamented.

He added, “The council asked us to pay N1.2 million each for a shop so that it can be raised to a storey building, and later, they reduced it to N800,000. But they refused to tell us what the money was meant for. They also demanded that we pay another N10,000 non-refundable fee for forms.”

Mr Nwaeze also mentioned that the local government could open more markets in new sites rather than turn existing shops built about 30 years ago into storey buildings to increase revenue.

He called for the intervention of the Niger government and security agencies as shop owners are threatened by people alleged to be loyal to the council chairman, Bawa Naibi.

One of the traders, Sadiya Bello, stated, “If whatever adjustment they claimed to be doing is meant for the traders, why are the traders not being carried along?”

Also, Rachael Adeniji, a shop owner, said it was unacceptable for the local government to demand money from traders daily without telling them what the funds were for.

“They do not even allow us to have input to whatever expansion is being planned,” she said.

Responding, Mr Naibi, who spoke through his chief press secretary, Haruna Kaniko, blamed the face-off between the council and the traders as the handiwork of some mischief makers.

Mr Naibi also said he was unaware of the N1.2 million and other levies allegedly demanded from each trader and shop owner for the expansion.

The local government chairman, however, said the council embarked on demolition and market adjustments for safety.

“We wanted the shops with perimeter fences along the link roads to be upgraded to upstairs,” the council chair explained.

Mr Naibi said there was no plan to open new market layouts to ease congestion considering Suleja town’s topography.

“IBB market has 1,280 shops capacity according to the original master plan, but today, not less than 7,000 shops are there. I think there is a lack of effective communication between the committee handling the market adjustments and the key stakeholders,” the LG boss stated. “I believe if there are wide consultations, what is happening now could have been avoided.”

(NAN)