On Tuesday, small-scale traders along the Aiyetoro roadside, Epe, groaned as men of the Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) stormed the area to dismantle their stalls.

The operatives of the environmental outfit arrived early in the day to remove the structures they claimed were obstructing free movement.

A trader, Joe Bolingo, said the exercise started around 7:15 a.m. He said there was no warning or official notice before their dislocation.

Mr Bolingo said he was not against the demolition, but the government should have provided shops for the traders and poor masses before taking such steps.

The trader stated that it “is sad that we have a government which does not make provision for the people before asking them to evacuate their shops, and that is very bad.”

Mr Bolingo added, “We have thousands of traders across the Epe community selling on the roadside because everybody cannot pay for shop rent. We have to trade in places like this to feed our family. They should make provisions for us by providing a place for us to sell, then we can leave the road.

“Most of us do not have money in banks, and at home, we depend on daily sales to feed our families; the demolition is affecting us, affecting our families because everyone trading here has a family.”

He lamented that “I have five children” and that “this ugly development will affect my business and also affect the feeding of my family.” 

“I don’t know what to do next,” Mr Bolingo said.

Another trader, Yetunde Olagunju, said that the exercise came suddenly.

“We just saw the KAI officials today, and they started carrying our goods and demolishing our shops,” she said.

A 50-year-old trader, Lawrence Awoyinka, appealed to the government to allow them to trade on the roadside because they earn their living through the shop.

“The government should allow us because this is where we get our daily bread. We do not have any other place. Some women here are widows, no husbands, and this place is the last hope of so many people.

“I was sleeping inside my shop expecting customers. I suddenly saw some officials come knocking at my shop and asking me to pack my goods, which I did.

“But they refused to let me carry my table. They destroyed all our tables but did not destroy our goods,” said Mr Awoyinka.

Debo Ayinla, a trader, said he lost a huge amount to the exercise.

Mr Ayinla urged the Lagos government to provide alternative solutions to traders at the Aiyetoro market.

“We don’t have any other place to sell. Our children and wives depend on our petty trade business. The government should be for the people and offer the masses good governance,” he said.

(NAN)