LAGOS: Ambode Shuts Mile 12 Market Over Ethnic Dispute

THE Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, has ordered the immediate closure of the Mile 12 Market, as a measure towards restoring calm in the environment following a dispute which metamorphosed to pandemonium with many houses burnt while some residents injured.
 

The state government in addition to the closure of the market, placed curfew on four streets in the area including Oniyanri Street, Maidan Street, Agiliti 1 and Agiliti 2 streets which it stated were most affected areas in relation to the dispute.

In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Habib Haruna, he said the decision was considered as a viable option towards restoring peace to the area noting that security of lives and properties is the primary purpose of government.

“In order to further restore calm, I have ordered that Mile 12 Market be temporarily closed and urged traders, community leaders and other stakeholders to eschew violence, be calm and law abiding.

“Furthermore, I have also ordered a temporary restriction of movement in the following streets –  Oniyanri Street, Maidan Street, Agiliti 1 and Agiliti 2”.

 “Today, I have just been informed that some miscreants and criminal elements have exploited that dispute to cause a breakdown of law and order within the area. These types of clashes do occur from time to time in a multi-ethnic city like Lagos and the government has responded appropriately.

“The public is hereby assured that we will not shy away from our responsibilities to protect lives and property and we will deal decisively with those criminal elements involved in the clash. I have been assured by the Commissioner of Police and other security agencies at the scene that the situation has been brought under control”, the governor stated.

Confirming the report, the Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, also stated that policemen had already been deployed in the area to enforce the order adding that no life was lost apart from inferno on some houses.

“I was there personally; there was no record of death. There was no fire in the market, and as I speak to you, over 50 persons have been arrested. But within agility community, houses were burnt by miscreants,” Owoseni reportedly stated.

Members of the Hausa and Yoruba communities in the neighbourhood had clashed over issues yet to unraveled, leading to indiscriminate burning of houses and churches on Wednesday night.