Train collision: Police swoop on railway track traders

Barely 24 hours after a train and truck collided at the Pen-Cinema Agege, killing five people and leaving many injured, the Lagos State Task Force on Environmental Enforcement, yesterday, swooped on traders at Agege railway market, leaving sorrow and tears.

According to the traders, the Task Force policemen, without prior notice, armed with guns, stormed the market around 9:30am, and started carting away goods valued at thousands and millions of naira.

The activities caused a traffic gridlock as the traders ran in different directions, struggling to salvage some of their goods. The operation may be connected with the Monday accident. Many people had alleged that traders selling close to the railway caused the accident.

Mallam Muhammed Thukhur, who sells nylons, said some Task Force officials seized all his goods. The policemen had also threatened to arrest him without telling him his crime.

He said: “When I saw them coming, I was afraid and ran away. They packed my goods and those of my brothers. We were not even selling close to the train track. The goods they took should be over N120, 000. We’re very far from where the accident happened. We’re facing the market side, not the railway side. If they wanted to arrest people, they should go to those selling near the railway track!”

Mrs. Rachael Afolabi, who sells spices and blends pepper, urged the officials to release their goods as this was the only source of livelihood that many of them have.

 Miss. Talu Mercy, who sells varieties of bags, explained that goods worth N100, 000 were seized from her without any explanation.

She said: “I had just arrived and was laying out my wares. I heard a guy saying pack your things, they are coming! Before I knew, policemen drove their vans here and seized all my goods! They are supposed to raid traders selling on the railway track not those of us selling far from the track.”

She wanted to gather some of her goods, but they threatened to shoot her.

Mrs. Rebecca Kehinde said that she borrowed N15, 000 from a daily money contribution group, the previous day, to buy those goods that were seized.

 Kehinde had tears rolling down her cheeks as she said: “There’re nothing left now that my goods had been seized. All my goods were taken away within a twinkle of an eye! Where and how do I get money to refund those I borrowed from?”

Mr. Walaki Abdul Wahab, a police officer at Railway Police Station, Agege, said that he saw the Task Force doing their job, but didn’t interfere because it was none of his business.

Mr. Emeka Chuzy, who does SIM registration by the rail way track, said: “The policemen only arrested one person and that was because the guy didn’t know it was a police officer that was standing beside him. Many of them were in mufti.”

Chuzy further said that the policemen destroyed tables of traders, selling by the track.

“They didn’t collect anybody goods, but only chased traders away from the track. They didn’t injure anyone except the guy they arrested,” said Chuzy.

 Mrs. Abidemi Mustapha, an orange seller, said: “We were not given prior notice of the raid. Goods worth over a million naira were seized from all traders opposite the railway track. The traders were ordered not to question the policemen. We beg them to release our goods on time.”