Rampaging hoodlums on Monday, October 19, cashed in on the peaceful protests by the #EndSARS protesters to wreak havoc on a car mart and a local market at the Apo Mechanic Village in the FCT during which lives were lost while vehicles and goods worth over N125 million were destroyed, Daily Trust Saturday reports.
For Babatunde Afolabi, a dealer at the Apo mechanic Village Car Mart, Monday, October 19, being the first working day of the week, began on a good note with high expectations of making some good sales.
He had no premonition that something ominous was lurking on the horizon which would see his flourishing car business of over five years crashing to ground zero.
Sitting under a tree and gazing at the burnt vehicles at the spot where his car mart was once located, Afolabi was deeply lost in thoughts when our reporter approached him.
After some promptings, Afolabi opened up to Daily Trust Saturday and narrated what transpired that fateful day.
He said he and other dealers resumed their business at the car mart as, usual looking, forward to receiving customers.
Afolabi said at about 10 am, some #EndSARS protesters passed through their car mart towards towards Apo Roundabout. He, however, noted that at about 2pm, they observed an unusual crowd around the Kabusa Junction, adding, “Before we could understand what was happening, we saw hoodlums throwing stones and missiles indiscriminately. We were still in our place here trying to understand what was going on. Some policemen were at the Kabusa junction, but shortly after, we discovered that they had left”.
He said the hoodlums who were armed with machetes, cutlasses and other weapons continued to intensify in their violent activities as they advanced towards the car mart.
“When we observed the way things were going, we tried to move some of the vehicles from the car mart to a safer location. Before we knew, the hoodlums began to unleash mayhem on motorists driving through the Apo road, smashing their windscreen and side mirrors.
“They mobilized themselves and started heading towards our car mart. They invaded the car mart in a commando-style and began to smash the vehicles’ windscreen indiscriminately while we all scampered to safety.
“I and my brother moved away to a safe distance and stood to watch what was going on. Before our very eyes, they began to set fire to the cars parked at the mart one after the other. They brought the tyres, they earlier set on fire and used them to set the vehicles on fire.
While I was trying to evacuate one of the cars from the mart, the hoodlums injured me with their machetes”, he said.
Babatunde, struggling with emotions noted that for over 4 hours, the hoodlums reigned and carried out their violent activities unchallenged.
“We called all the police emergency lines, but there was no response. We called other security emergency numbers, but no help came our way. One of my colleague rushed to the Apo Police Station to inform them of what was happening but no help came from them.
The hoodlums were said to have continued destroying properties until the rains started, and that was when they stopped the destruction and left the scene.
Explaining what he lost , he said 18 cars of various models were completely burnt by the hoodlums while those that were vandalized and had their windscreens smashed were over 25.
“We have moved some of the damaged cars from here. Some of the cars that were burnt were given to our chairman who is my elder brother, to sell and there are also some of the cars which he bought on his own to resell. He is the major car dealer here.
“Some people have three to four cars here. Amongst the cars set ablaze and vandalized by the hoodlums include, RAV4, Camry LE Model, Ford 2012, CRV, Highlander, Corolla LE and End of Discussion (EOD), amongst others.
“In all, we have lost over N75 million. One of the cars that was vandalized is worth N6 million; in fact, they have deposited N2 million already for the car before the hoodlums vandalized it. They damaged the body of the car and smashed the windscreens. As it is now, nobody will buy that car again. There are some of the cars that are worth N5 million, N4 million and N3 million, depending on the model of the car.
“Our lives have been shattered. We don’t know where to start from because our means of livelihood have been grounded. Some of us took loans to buy these cars to resell. How do we now repay the loans? We are back to square zero. We want the government to come and help us to enable us to begin lives again. We have been in this business for over 10 years now.
“The hoodlums just entered here to unleash mayhem on us without any provocation. We were not part of the protesters. We were just here minding our business. It’s so sad and unfortunate”, he said.
Traders at Kabusa Junction Market narrate ordeals.
In the same vein, traders and artisans at the Kabusa Junction Market have also lamented the destruction of their businesses by the hoodlums.
Chairman of Kabusa Junction Market Traders’ Association, Abdullahi Suleiman, described the attack at the market as horrendous and devastating.
He said asides the destruction of goods and kiosks at the market, the hoodlums killed three of their members and injured 10 others in the ensuing skirmish.
“We were transacting our businesses peacefully when some hoodlums suddenly invaded our market and began to unleash mayhem. They came in large numbers with cutlasses, woods, stones and other weapons.
“They destroyed our kiosks and burnt our shops. They killed three people here while 10 others sustained injuries from machete cuts. In this market, we have provisions sellers, fruit traders, clothes, shoes, food, artisans, mechanics, spare parts dealers and others.
“They destroyed everything and set the market ablaze. This is where we transact our businesses and also sleep. Right now, we don’t have where to sleep again.
He also noted that about 29 motorcycles were destroyed during the attack.
“These motorcycles were given to us by people to use and make daily returns. How do we now, pay them?
He said hoodlums attacked POS operators in the market and carted their money and other valuables.
Another trader, Jibril Salisu said they were over 200 people trading at the market whose businesses have been abruptly put to an end and destroyed.
He said, the market also served as accommodation for them, adding they don’t have anywhere to lay their head at the end of the day at the moment.
“We want the government to help us. We are not here to fight anyone; we are here to look for our daily bread. We are here for peace. We are not dragging anything with anybody. We are very peaceful people”, he said.
Our correspondent reports that detachments of the police and the army were stationed around the vicinity of the incident when he visited the area.
Meanwhile, the Police Command in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), said it has successfully restored peace along the Kabusa-Apo axis of Abuja after a violent clash between EndSARS and ProSARS protesters.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the FCT, Marram Yusuf, disclosed this in a statement issued in Abuja.
She said some vehicles, shops and houses were set ablaze, with seven persons reported dead in the incident that occurred on Monday and Tuesday.
Ms Yusuf said the Commissioner of Police (CP) in charge of the command, Bala Ciroma, had commiserated with the family members of the deceased and ordered a thorough investigation into the incident.
However, the minister of the Federeal Capital Teritory, Malam Muhammadu Bello during a fact-finding visit to Apo Mechanic Vilage, promised to compesate victims of the violence. He also advised residents of the community to continue to live in peace and harmony.
