The Chairman of Gwagwalada Area Council of the FCT, Alhaji Abubakar Jibrin Giri, has said that the move to demolish the Zuba Relief/Livestock Market in order for a private developer to take over started during the administration of the immediate chairman of the council, Alhaji Adamu Mustapha.
Giri, who addressed newsmen in his office on Tuesday while reacting to public outcry, especially among traders at the market, in which they accused the area council for handing over the market to a private developer, said the move behind taking over of the market by a developer started in 2022.
He explained that the crisis started when a private developer attempted to commence developing the market when a section of the fruits section was demolished between 2016 and 2018.
He said even as the demolition of a section of the fruits market was taking place, the marketers protested and halted the demolition, hence that the developer went to court to claim damages for halting the demolition.
Tinubu administration open to partnership to tackle poverty – Shettima
Tinubu administration open to partnership to tackle poverty – Shettima
He further said, “Upon my assumption of office, I met a report on ground that the developer had gone to court to claim damages, which resulted in garnishing of the area council’s account in 2023 as the developer claimed to have spent money at the fruits market.”
He said the developer returned to inform the council that he had gotten approval to develop the market from the Development Control of the FCDA.
He noted that the council’s decision to accept the developer’s move to commence developing the market was as a result of a security report it received from the police, DSS, as well as the Agora of Zuba, Alhaji Mohammed Bello Umar, that hoodlums had turned the market to where they commit crimes and smoked hemp.
He further said, “So, after the security report, we decided to invite the traders and their executives to come down so that they could sit down with the council about the market; to see how they would be compensated, since the developer had gotten approval, but they refused to come. And even the Emir of Zuba also invited them; they also refused to go.”
Giri, who frowned at the taking of the matter to the Brekete Family show of the Human Rights Radio by the traders, accused some people to be behind such a move in order to create a crisis between the council and the traders, even as he said the matter was already before the court.
He further said, “Besides, we have no special interest in the market, as our major concern is to develop the market. The traders have gone to court, so we await the outcome of the judgement.”
He, therefore, called on residents, especially the affected traders, to remain peaceful, calm and go about their normal activities.
