Jimeta modern market shutdown for hours over skirmishes between traders, soldiers
The Jimeta ultra-mordern market was on Tuesday temporarily shut down for hours following escalation of skirmishes between soldiers and traders.
Our reporter learnt that trouble started on Monday between the two sides when soldiers and other security personnel began clearing roadside traders to ease-off congestion occasioned by street trading.
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Around November last year, the state government has shutdown the market for close to two weeks to clear off illegal structures and makeshift shops popularly known as attachment in its bid to restore the market’s original master plan, create a convivial atmosphere for trading and enhance sanity and security.
Following the exercise, displaced traders started displaying their wares along major corridors of the market constituting another challenge forcing the state government to draft security personnel to address the bu
dding challenge.
Our reporter learnt that while carrying out their assignments to dislodged the street traders, a major disagreement between soldiers and the irate traders ensued leading to open confrontation as traders hurled stones at the soldiers.
Following the incident, a meeting between critical stakeholders and the commissioner of commerce was scheduled to take place on Tuesday to iron out grey issues and resolve lingering contentions.
But the meeting could not hold as the commissioner of commerce was said to follow governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri to Guyuk local government in his ongoing state tour and projects commissioning.
Our reporter learnt that no sooner than the market was opened than another confrontation between the two sides began as angry traders continue to hurl stones at the soldiers.
But speaking to newsmen, the secretary of the market Mr. Samuel Billy said normalcy has since returned following the intervention of the state government.
He noted that the misunderstanding was a fallout of the enforcement of government directives banning attachments within the market.
Billy, disclosed that the confrontation began on Monday between 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. while he was at the ministry of commerce adding that when he received reports of a disagreement linked to the ongoing clearance of illegal attachments in the market, he quickly alerted the commissioner which led to the scheduling of meeting between all the stakeholders on Tuesday.
He noted that the government resolve to ban attachments was an altruistic move to remodel and modernize the market. He however noted that, the enforcement led to tension, which was allegedly escalated by miscreants who took advantage of the situation by throwing stones and causing disorder.
He clarified that most of those involved in the disturbance were not registered members of the market but outsiders and associates of some traders. “Some of them are just friends invited into the market and they try to create problems,” he said.
According to him, in response to the tension, the market leadership temporarily shut down activities to prevent further escalation and convened an emergency meeting with stakeholders and security agencies.
”Although an earlier stakeholders’ meeting with the Commissioner was postponed, discussions were held to restore calm. The market was initially reopened around 11:00 a.m., but was briefly shut again before finally reopening at 1:30 p.m. after normalcy was restored,” he said.
Mr. Billy urged traders and visitors to obey government regulations, emphasizing that the modernization drive is for the benefit of all.
The market secretary appealed to the affected owners of the makeshift stores to relocate to Palluja market where the government provided about 1,000 allocations to them.
He noted that with that gesture, no fewer than 95 percent of affected trades will fully accommodated.
He assured that government interventions, including drainage improvements and construction of remodeled sheds, would enhance trading conditions and reflect the market’s ultra-modern status.
