By Omeiza Ajayi, Abuja

The Federal Capital Territory Administration FCTA has shut down the Olajumoke Akinjide market in Dutse-Alhaji of the capital city over what it described as “extreme illegalities in the market”.

Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement, Comrade Attah Ikharo who led the enforcement team lamented the high-level contraventions which included offensive refuse dumps, attachments at several corners and uninstalled drains.

He said; “The indefinite closure of Olajumoke Akinjide Plaza Dutse-Alhaji was because of extreme contraventions which we have noticed since last week, very offensive refuse which is not properly collected, so much attachments at several corners, the drains not distilled. The drains were like dump sites and while we shut down the Dutse-Alhaji market to clean it, the Olajumoke Akinjide market managers assured us that they would clean theirs but sadly, throughout the weekend they spent it trading even Sunday was a real market day for them.

“So we came here and discovered that nothing tangible was done and we had to shut it down as instructed by the FCT Minister Malam Muhammad Bello, pending the time the environmental challenges in the market, the illegal attachments, refuse collection, building contraventions as well as distilling the drains are addressed.

“When next we come here and we are convinced they have done the needful we will reopen it, but they assured us that they want to start the work now and they will be done quickly and we will come and check it for reopening but for now the market is closed indefinitely.

“They just have to start working, clean the drainages and remove all attachments. They know the carrying capacity as approved by Development Control. It is unacceptable that all the staircases, there all attachments. Until they are removed, the market remains closed”.

Speaking on the main Dutse-Alhaji market, he commended them for cleanup of the market.

“You can see the main Dutse-Alhaji market coming in their numbers to clean their shops and environment, preparatory to tomorrow’s reopening of their market”, he said.

Secretary FCTA Command and Control Centre, Peter Olumuji on his part decried the increase in crime rate in the market.

He said; “Aside from the environmental issues that we noticed in the market, the crime rate is gradually increasing, structures that criminal elements can stay and hide are being put on ground. And some of them even sleep over in these make shift attachments.

“Shop owners have been complaining about thefts, part of what we are doing is to remove all those hidden structures and attachments. There are reports of vandalization of cars, phone stolen etc”.

Meanwhile, a shop owner who did want her name mentioned, accused the management and executives of the market of selling the illegal spaces to petty traders.

Mrs Lydia Ineji, a staff of Bwari Area Council said, “The market is clean now there is access road. This is going to affect a lot of people because this is where they get their daily bread. If they can get a space for petty traders we will appreciate it”.