By INNOCENT ANABA

LAGOS— No fewer than 10,000 traders of old Alaba Market (new Alayabiagba market) have petitioned the Attorney General  of Lagos State, Mr. Ade Ipaye, over alleged threat by the Chairman of Ifelodun Local Council Development Area, LCDA, to demolish the market.

The traders urged the state government to caution the council boss not to resort to act of self help since the matter was already in court.

Counsel to the traders, Mr. Lekan Alabi, in the petition, alleged that the chairman of the LCDA, had already transferred the market to a private developer, adding that as law-abiding citizens and to avert unlawful demolition of their market, they approached the Lagos High Court for an interim injunction restraining the council and the private developer from carrying out their threat.

The traders added that despite being in procession of court processes, the chairman of the LCDA allegedly boasted that he would demolish the market.

“Our prayer is to implore you to caution the chairman of Ifelodun council to join issues with our client in courts rather than engage in act that will result in head on collusion with the court,” they said.

The claimants also want the court to declare that the temporary occupational license granted them and other market men and women by the Lagos State Government in 1980 to operate the market was still valid and subsisting.