Lagos state Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has reportedly reversed the 14-day relocation order issued to traders of Alaba Rago International Market in Ojo area of the state.
The reversal of the quit notice was to forestall the imminent displacement of thousands of traders from the market following disagreement over its development.
According to Daily Trust, leaders of the Hausa/Fulani community met with the governor on Monday and pleaded with him to reconsider his decision on the market.
Those who met with the governor include Seriki Hausa of Lagos, Aminu Dogara, and his vice, as well as the Seriki Fulani of Lagos, Mohammed Bambado.
Sanwo-Olu was said to have backtracked and asked the traders and shop owners to continue with their legitimate businesses at the market pending when a formal agreement and development plan would be reached between both parties.
The governor was said to have stepped down the ultimatum during a meeting at the State House, Ikeja, though there was no official statement from the government.
Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotosho, said he was not privy to the meeting.
The meeting came hours after former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, met the Hausa traders at Alaba Rago where he kicked against the planned relocation of the traders.
At the meeting with the governor, the leaders were said to have appealed to him to use his prerogative of mercy to lift the order placed on the market, which is expected to elapse on June 2, 2022.
The Babaloja of Alaba Rago Market 1, Ali Malami, who confirmed the reversal of the quit notice, said the governor gave the traders assurance that the market would not be brought down on the approved date and that there would be more engagements between the government and traders, as well as shop owners.
Recall that the governor had ordered the relocation of the market as part of the clamp down on indiscriminate operation of commercial motorcycle in the state and its use to unleash terror on residents of the state.
The market has also purportedly become a criminals hideout as it’s used as cover to commit crimes by men of northern extraction.
In April, WITHIN NIGERIA reported how a soon-to-wed Monsur was dastardly murdered by a mob of Hausa motorcyclists close to the market, stole his iPhone and gold neck chain.
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