Lagos State Government To Relocate Mile 12 Market.

The Government of Lagos State development Agency has planned to relocate one of the popular market in Lagos because of the new Lagos Plan as part of Government policy to give Lagos a face life.

Unfortunately, Mile 12 market, a popular market for less income people is involved and the host community and trader in the market are in a stand still with the Government over the recent development.

The Arewa community in Lagos is divided over the planned relocation of Mile 12 market.
Some members of the community have declared their support for the move, the leadership of Arewa traders in the market has condemned it. The traders alleged that their kinsmen who are supporting the move are “backstabbers”.

When  Governor Akinwunmi Ambode spoke about the market’s planned relocation after the Agiliti riot, president of the Arewa community declared the group’s support for the proposal.
The group also condemned former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwakwanso for trying to mediate with the Lagos State government to reconsider its plan.

But the leadership of the Amalgamated Foodstuff, Ram and Cattle Dealers Association expressed surprise over the statement, describing it as very unfortunate.
The Financial Secretary of the Mile 12 traders association, who is also the youth leader, APC, Lagos Arewa community, Alhaji Shehu Usman, said the community’s efforts to be peaceful with others is being destroyed by what he called a deliberate spread of falsehood.

Usman, who described the action of the leadership of the Arewa community as suspicious, said: “We know the sponsor of that story. But it is very unfortunate that the person is an Arewa like us. The question that should agitate the mind of anybody is which kind of person would work against the interest of his people? It is a sad commentary on how far some people will go to destroy a good thing for their selfish interest.

“Why would anybody want to condemn prominent Arewa leaders like Kwakwanso, Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, senior National Assembly leaders and several others who tried to intervene, for being good and responsible leaders? When you call yourself a leader, you must be seen to be working for the interest of your people. It is rather unfortunate somebody would come out to condemn a leader over such matter.”
Usman, while tracing what he said was the genesis of the story, said the leaders who are mostly traders in major markets in Lagos, worked for the state’s development.

He said: “During the last campaign, we came together to work with our party, the APC. It is on record that the leadership of all the markets where you find Arewa community in Lagos joined forces without collecting any money from anybody.

“Our findings have now revealed that those behind the spread of divisive messages are those who planned to make money from the party, but whose plans were thwarted by our action. You can ask anybody, we have always worked with the people and government in Lagos State without any problem. But the action of these people can bring about bad blood between us.”