Traders protest against alleged breach of court order in Lagos

TRADERS under the aegis of Auto Spare Parts and Machineries Dealers Association (ASPMDA) at the Trade Fair complex, Ojo, Lagos Monday came out in their numbers to protest against alleged intimidation and breach of court order by the police in Lagos.

  The placard-carrying traders alleged that another opposition group in the market had connived with the police to intimidate them by locking up their Union Office, sealing off the market gate and attempting to unseat their president, one Chief Daniel Ofokansi. 

  The incident triggered heavy traffic gridlock within the Trade Fair Complex and its environs.

  There was palpable fear and apprehension following the heavy presence of armed policemen from the Mobile Police Force and Trade Fair Police Division.

  Altercations between the police and some of the youths held sway for a while until the leaders of the market intervened.

  They specifically accused the Lagos State Commissioner of Police of supporting ‘illegalities’ in the market by deploying dozens of policemen to the market to magnify apprehension in the market.

  The traders accused an influential politician of fuelling the crisis and supporting the opposition.

  Addressing dozens of traders, who gathered at the open ground of the market, Ofokansi said: 

  “You have a reasonable and sensible leaders. That was why we went to court. There is a court order that our president and his executive members should continue in office and we expect the other faction to obey the court order but rather than obey the court order, they resorted to violence.

  “But we are responsible people. We will not fight them. We expect the police to do the right thing and open our office. As far as this market is concerned, nobody will take our position. Go back to your shops and conduct yourself peacefully.”

  One of the opposition members in the market, who spoke under condition of anonymity, urged the protesters to do the right thing by vacating the seat and conduct election.

  “What are they saying, they are doing the wrong thing and they want people to believe that they are doing the right thing. They should conduct an election and swear-in new leadership because their tenure has expired.”

  The Vice President of the market, Chief Models Ezeamama, however, showed the said court order issued by Justice M. N. Yinusa of the Federal High Court, Lagos to newsmen at the market.

  Part of the order reads: “An order of Interim Injunction restraining the sixth defendant from permitting and/or conceding the management and administration of the affairs of the association in any manner howsoever to any person whatsoever pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice pending before this honourable court.”

  The Lagos State Police spokesman, Mr. Ken Nwosu, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, spoke in defence of the police.

  According to him:  “There was an intelligence report that there would be a break down of law and order in the market. That was why we went there. We understand that there is a court order but we have to ensure that our men are deployed to the place to ensure peace and we would remain there until normalcy returns to the market.

  “The police are not interested in their market because we are not traders but when there is such intelligence report, we cannot fold our arms and watch them kill each other. We only went there to protect lives and property,” he said.