A group of traders from the Aguiyi Ironsi International Market Traders Association in Ladipo, Mushin, Lagos State, have petitioned the Lagos State Government over alleged harassment, intimidation, and threats to their lives by the market’s executives and task force committee.
This was contained in a petition dated July 25, 2024, addressed to the office of the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and obtained by PUNCH Metro on Thursday.
In the petition signed by their lawyer, Liborous Oshoma, the traders claimed that they had been in the market for over a decade and had participated in the previous elections to select their market leaders.
They, however, lamented over issues arising from the election of the market executive which led to the issuing of identity cards to traders.
The traders accused the executive, led by Mr. Chukwuma Onyebinamma aka Ikukuoma, of conspiring to disenfranchise them and manipulate the upcoming election.
“The current chairman, Onyebinamma, to prolong his tenure, has now decided and further imposed it on members of the association that only owners of the Identity Cards would be accepted as valid voters during the upcoming election and that only the said owners of ID cards would be allowed entrance to attend meetings held by the association, a decision believed to be favourable to his administration.
“Concerns have been raised about the potential for manipulation, as several individuals reported issues during registration where unknown persons were already registered using their shop numbers.”
While noting that the existing constitution of their association made no provision for voting solely through ID cards, the traders explained that elections were conducted by visiting each shop and allowing the rightful owners to cast their votes thereby ensuring a fair and transparent process.
The traders alleged that the introduction of the ID card had led to harassment, intimidation, and physical assault by the task force committee, adding that the executive selectively issued the ID cards to their supporters while withholding them from non-supporters.
They also claimed that the individuals enforcing the use of the ID cards reportedly wield machetes, intimidate and physically assault traders in the market.
They said the most recent of the incidents occurred on July 18, 2024, when some of the members of the association were denied access during their monthly meeting despite identifying themselves.
“One of them in an attempt to clarify that he had not received the identity card which he had already paid for was attacked by one individual who forcefully removed and confiscated his medicated eyeglasses, which aid his vision.
The complainants revealed that several petitions concerning these events had been consistently filed to the appropriate authorities responsible for peace and orderliness, but they had repeatedly been compromised.
The traders urged the Lagos State Government to initiate a comprehensive investigation into the matter and ensure that peace and security were maintained within the market and society. They also requested the prosecution of those indicted in the investigation.
Reacting, Onyebinamma denied the allegations, saying the use of ID cards was binding by the constitution.
He added that the decision was agreed on by members of the association.
He said, “According to our constitution, what makes you a member of the association is the payment of annual dues. The association takes money from there and does the ID cards. This is what makes you a member. All of us agreed and people paid. And we started last year September that anyone who did not pay the dues would not attend our meeting. I have the ID cards of my successors and this has been the practice in the market.
“Also, we don’t use ID cards for elections, what we use is a voter’s card, and once you have your ID card after paying your annual dues, you will be eligible to get a voter card to vote in an election. I was also not aware of what happened when the machete was used at the gate. It was my task force chairman who came to report to me that it was some members of the group of people against my administration who brought it to the market. The task force in the market only uses canes, not machetes.”
