Trouble is looming at the Amuwo
Odofin Local Government Shopping Complex, Mile 2, Lagos State and nobody,
especially law enforcement agents, appear ready to corral it before it blows
out of proportion.
For years now, traders at the market
have been battling a man, Alhaji Saheed Abiola, otherwise known as Zyad 1
Ultimate, with his army of thugs.
Sick and tired of being terrorized
by the man and his thugs, women traders in the market, on April 27, 2015, stripped
to their brassieres and underwear and took to the streets, chanting solidarity
songs against tyranny and oppression.
Although Abiola was not a member of
the executives of the market, he had however allegedly arrogated much power to
himself, assisted by his thugs.
The traders in the market said that
one of the crimes the man was best known for was ordering his thugs to strip
traders and flog them publicly to serve as deterrent to others. Abiola was said
to have so cowed many of the traders, that they treat him as a thin-god. Those
who dared to confront him, pay dearly for their effrontery. They were often visited
by Abiola’s armed thugs.
One of the traders fumes: “We can no
longer do our businesses in the market for fear of being attacked by thugs
loyal to Abiola. The men among us have refused to join the protest for fear of
being beaten up by Abiola’s thugs. These thugs used to pounce on any trader who
dares to challenge him.”
The Babaloja General of the market,
Alhaji Abass Gbola Yusuf, said that Abiola with his thugs had been terrorising
the market for long, adding that most traders in the market were now too scared
to open their shops.
Yusuf said: “Abiola is not a member
of the executives of the market but he goes about terrorising market men and
women. Anyone who tries to challenge him is always thoroughly flogged by his
boys. Abiola has become notorious! He used to order his boys to flog even old
men and women who dares to challenge his authority in the market.”
The woman leader and the Iyaloja of
the market, Mrs. Catherine Omotoyosi Awhidhire, said that Abiola sent his thugs
to beat her up, inflicting injuries on her back and breast.
She said: “He has now taken to
flogging puny, aged traders, not caring about their frail health and bodies. He
used to boast that he has the police in Festac in his pocket and that nobody
would be able to do anything to him. He used to drop names of important people
to further cow the traders. He’s mostly fond of dropping Senator Bola Ahmed
Tinubu’s name!”
She said that the executives of the
market had asked Abiola to leave all the market affairs in their
hands, but rather than obey, he suddenly took to selling traders’ shops
illegally.
She added: “We’ve written petitions
to Alausa on the matter. We’ve also reported the matter to the Iyaloja General
of Lagos State, Folashade
Tinubu-Ojo. She assured us that she would look into the matter. We however had
not heard from her. Thus we continue to live in fear. Even as I’m speaking with
you right now, the power supply to my shop had been disconnected on the orders
of Abiola. We just want the state government to come to our assistance. We’re
tired of this terrorism and terrorist!”
Stating his own side of the story,
Abiola said that all the allegations made by Baba-Oloja General and Market
leader were untrue.
He said: “Babaloja and other traders
are only envious of me because of the way I have been generating money. I’m not among the executives of the market,
but I’m a major stakeholder in this market!”
On the allegation that he moves
around with thugs who assist him in terrorising traders, Abiola, said that he
did not terrorise anybody, challenging Ahwidirhe to mention those who had
beaten her and other traders up.
Abiola said: “She should know those
who beat her up. I did not disconnect her power supply. It was those in charge
of the power supply that disconnected it. They did so because she owes them.”
Abiola admitted that he came to the market as
someone who used to carry bags of rice for traders and buyers, adding that he
took over the market leadership when he realised things were not going well.
“Since I assumed leadership of the market,
things have started moving on well,” he stated.
The man denied ever flogging any
trader. According to him, people who were sympathetic to him possibly carried
out the assault on the traders.
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