By Dennis Agbo

ENUGU- The Enugu State government has given reasons why it closed down the New Artisan Market (Goat Market) in the state capital, saying that it was occasioned by troubles associated with such markets.

The state Commissioner for Information, Dr. Godwin Udeuhele, who spoke with South East Voice on the issue said the relocation order was not negotiable and dismissed calls for compensation of the traders, adding, “Did anybody destroy their property to call for compensations?”

Udeuhele further said that land had already been provided for them somewhere close to Umuode in Nkanu East local government, pointing out that clearing of the site had commenced with some people already coming for allocation of shops at the new site.

•Some of the evicted traders at the Federal High Court, Enugu.

“If you look at other states in the South East where artisan markets are located, none is in the township; they are usually at the borders because of the troubles associated with them. In Anambra State, they are at Enugu border, in Abia State, they are at Lokpanta,” he said.

The state government and the goat traders at the New Artisan Market have been embroiled in dispute since December 17, last year, when a police Corporal, George Ugwu was killed by some tricycle operators at the gate of the market.

According to sources, the trouble began when some policemen tried to arrest one of a Hausa/ Fulani tricycle operator in front of the market and the suspect brought out a dagger and stabbed one of the officers, injuring him grievously.

However, late Cpl Ugwu who allegedly witnessed the incident brought out his riffle and tried to shoot the suspect who stabbed his colleague but the bullets could not penetrate his skin.

Relocatingof the market

The tricycle operators were said to have waited for Ugwu until he exhausted his ammunition before they disarmed him and lynched him, prompting the state government to order the closure of the New Artisan Market within 48 hours.

Subsequently, on December 19, the state House of Assembly passed a resolution asking the state government to relocate the market which was mostly populated by Hausa/ Fulani goat sellers to the outskirts of the Enugu metropolis.

However, piqued by what it saw as human rights violation on the manner the market was shut down, a rights group, Civil Rights Realisation and Advancement Network, CRRAN, and some of the affected traders approached the court seeking several reliefs including N50 billion damages.

Earlier, the President of CRRAN, Mr. Olu Omotayo, had written the state government pointing out lapses in its action over the matter. CRRAN stated that the 48 hours ejection notice amounted to reckless disregard for the rights of the citizens saying,   “The tricycle operators who attacked and killed the Late Corporal Ugwu had their park outside the New Artisan Market, just by the entrance; they have their leaders and were never under the control of the leadership of the Artisan Market.

“The Licence/permission for the operation of the Commercial Tricycle Park, independent of the Market was granted to the tricycle operators by the Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority. Why should the activities of an independent body result to the closure and order of relocation of market? So if commercial tricycle operators at Tricycle Park, Holy Ghost (Market) Enugu attack law enforcement agents, the implication is that the Main Market will be closed down.”

Also, speaking to the South East Voice, the Patron of New Artisan Market, Alhaji Sani Mohammed, alleged unfair treatment as the tricycle operators who allegedly killed the policeman were not part of the market. “This is robbing Peter to pay Paul because none of us was involved in the killing,” Mohammed added.

He also faulted the positions of the government that the market was being used for all manner of illegal activities including prostitution, pointing out that if such activities were actually taking place there, the law enforcement agents should have moved in to deal with the supposed offenders rather than closing the market outright.