It was tears and lamentations as task force set up by the Nigerian RailWays Corporations, NRC, began total demolition of Mile one second hand cloths market otherwise known as ” Okirika”, and other categories of make shifts put up by sellers.
National Point learnt that as early as 6:30am, Tuesday, 10th January, 2023, bulldozers owned by the Nigerian RailWays Corporations, NRC, accompanied by some staff, task force and the police stormed the area and began massive demolition of stalls and other structures erected by the traders.
Traders who left their homes with the high hope of displaying their wears for sells, were disappointed as they were seen crying bitterly and bemoaning the fate that has befallen them, hence they never expected what they saw, especially at this early time of the year when they have spent all they had in celebrations of the Christmas and New year seasons.
It was also learnt that majority of the traders who travelled to their various states for the yuletide enjoyment are yet to be back to base when the unfortunate and unexpected incident took place.
“Nobody knows how these people who travelled for the Christmas and new year celebrations will feel when they return to meet their market place diserted”, one of the worried onlookers said, shaking his head in utter disbelief of what he saw.
Traders who early reported for sales could not really belief what was going on, as they became confused to the whole situation stiring them on their faces.
Some of the female traders were seen wailing uncontrollably and lacing curses on those who brought what they described as unexpected calamity to them, even as one of them identified as Ms. Nkiru Onyemere who could not bear the heavy pains of the urgly situation, fainted at the scene as a result of shuck. Ms. Onyemere was quickly revived by sympathisers, as she cried after regaining consciousness: “I’m totally finished! I lost everything I had in my stall. Jusr few days ago, I returned from home to Port Harcourt, after the Christmas and New year seasons to meet this situation”, saying that late last year, she borrowed sum money from the local money lenders otherwise known as LAPO, with the intention and happiness to continue with her bussiness in a big way this new year 2023, but unknown to her was an unbagained fate lurking behind her. “Where do I start again, and how do I begin?”, she asked anxiously, and frustratingly, appealing to spirited individuals for assistance.
Phillips Henshaw is one of the affected traders, and he expressed reservations over the unfortunate attitudes of the government whom he said don’t care about the welfare of the people they govern.
“If the government cares about the welfare of the people, we cannot experience this kind of urgly situation in this country”.
Another affected trader who simply gave her name as Joy Okorie wondered how she would survive the challenges of starting afresh to search for where to sell considering the numbers of those that were displaced.
“I lost everything to the demolition exercise, including cash made from previous sells which I didn’t take home”, she complained pitiably, and appealed to the government to assist them by providing a place to relocate them.
“Well, I don’t so much blame the Railway Authority for their action, because we were severally served notices”, one of the traders revealed, saying that they never expected the Corporations to act so early.
“I am totally confused and frustrated, everything seems to have turned upside down for me this new year”, Mrs. Ekaitte Akpan cried out, as she tried to salvage some of her goods.
Many other traders who spoke, lamented their woes.
Some of the traders were seen negotiating with some Abokis who stormed the area in their numbers while the exercise was going on to buy salvaged items like planks, plywoods, zincs, and others.
It was not possible getting leaders of the market for comments, as they were also seen trying to see .what they could pick out from their demolished stalls.
A staff of the Nigerian Railways Corporations who craved anonimity, told National Point that they were acting on order from above, adding that the Corporations has gotten approval to construct double carriage lanes and wouldn’t want any structure around the area. The staff further stressed that there is a limit to using government facility, because they can come for it anytime. This is going to be an eye opener to all who always rely on government facility.
A regular patron of the market who gave his name as Kingsley Emenike confirmed that government gave them series of quit notices to look for alternative areas for their bussinesses but all fell on deff ears.
“There was a day I was passing through the market, I saw these traders holding prayers, and asking God to touch the hearts and minds of the Railways Authority not to remember them in their planned action”, he recalled.
Emenike, however, pointed out that the amazing aspect of the whole thing is that some of these Railway line traders went as far as converting their wooden stalls to block and even mounted air conditioners in them, as if the area belonged to them permanently.
