No one could say categorically what
triggered the clash, except what many of the
traders regarded it as a built-up anger over
the downturn in their economy since the
killing of 14 Yoruba traders in Borno State
on May 4 and June 28 this year, where they
had gone to buy beans.
Since the killing of their colleagues (the
second incident) on June 28, Yoruba traders
have stopped travelling to the north-eastern
state, where the specie of beans (Oloyin)
loved by people in the South-West is usually
found at cheaper price.
However, Hausa traders in Bodija market
were said to have been receiving regular
supply of the commodity from their
kinsmen and had been selling same at
exorbitant prices to traders willing to buy
and re-sell.
This had resulted in a hike in the price of
beans, which has risen to N550 per
measure, against N280 for which it was
sold before the Borno killing of the traders.
Pent up anger, however, boiled over on
Friday afternoon while Muslim faithful
were observing Jumaat in mosques, leading
to the disruption of the peace of the entire
market.
Different weapons like sticks, stones and
iron rods were freely used, with the Yoruba
traders chanting that they would no longer
keep quiet over the agenda of the Hausa to
take over commerce in the market.
One of the traders, Saidi Baoku, who spoke
with Saturday Tribune, alleged that the
Hausa traders in the market were trying to
take food off their tables by killing their
business.
He further insinuated that the killing of the
traders in the market was masterminded by
the Hausa traders to pave way for their
control of the market, as the Yoruba traders
would no longer be able to go to the North
to buy foodstuffs.
He said that the over N40 million lost by
the slain traders was not as painful as their
lives that were brutally terminated.
“We have tried to be patient but we have
seen that if we don’t fight for ourselves,
these Hausa will continue to cheat us in our
own land.
After all, the driver of the vehicle in which
the 10 traders were was not killed. We want
everybody and government to come to our
aid and help so that we don’t die of
hunger,” he stated.
Baoku also said that no one could say what
triggered yesterday’s fight but said that the
Yoruba traders just decided to join in the
fight because it was for their cause.
While speaking on the development, the
Chairman of Ibadan North Local
Government, Hon. Idris Lapade, told
Saturday Tribune that the market had been
shut, saying that prompt intervention of
men and officers of the Nigeria Police,
officials of the Directorate of State Security
and Operation Burst, led by the Area
Commander in charge of Agodi Area
Command, prevented the crisis from
escalating beyond manageable level.
“We are trying to evacuate the Yoruba
before asking the Hausa to leave, because
they might be attacked if they move out at
the same time. The market belongs to the
local government; it is not anyone’s
property. All we are trying to ensure is
peace,” Lapade said.
He revealed that there was a security
meeting two days before the incident where
it was decided that the two parties should
be invited, adding that leaders of the traders
also held a meeting with the Commissioner
of Police a few hours before the crisis, and
were yet to get back to the market when the
mayhem broke out.
He opined that the fight must have resulted
from built-up tension.
The Public Relations Officer of the Bodija
arm of the Ibadan Foodstuff Sellers
Association, Mr Hakeem Emiola, also
corroborated the chairman’s statement that
no one knew how the Friday crisis started,
saying that it was only God that had been
helping the executive to contain the anger
of the traders.
He noted that the anger was based on the
fact since the Yoruba stopped going to the
North to buy beans, the Hausa over there
had been sending the foodstuff to their
kinsmen in Bodija market.
He said this was what led to the meeting
with the police commissioner where it was
agreed that the foodstuff coming in should
be shared equally between the two groups –
which was readily agreed to by the Hausa.
Speaking on the disruption of peace at the
market, the Police Public Relations Officer,
Olabisi-Okuwobi, said that the
Commissioner of Police, Mohammed
Indabawa, called for a meeting due to an
intelligence report at his disposal that there
might likely be crisis in the market.
“Both parties agreed to toe the path of
peace, but it seems that the youth in the
market heard about the outcome and were
not happy with it. They started destroying
beans, pepper and other goods in the
market.
However, the police commissioner quickly
drafted several teams of patrolmen, led by
the Area Commander, ACP Peter Okoh, as
well as an Armoured Personnel Carrier, to
quell the protest,” she stated further.
Commenting on the development and the
possibility of a spillover of such violence to
Osogbo, the Osun State capital, a top
security official said “Osun cannot witness
tribal clash or hostility in any form.”
The official, who pleaded anonymity, said
“Northerners in this state have been
coexisting peacefully with their host
communities here, and few days ago, we
held a meeting with Hausa and Fulani
traders.”
He stressed that “adequate and effective
security measures have been put in place to
sustain the reigning peace and harmony in
all the nooks and crannies of Osun.”
NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
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