The Oshodi area of Lagos was on Monday thrown into pandemonium as hoodlums said to be sympathetic to the ruling party, APC, unleashed mayhem and viole
The Oshodi area of Lagos was on Monday thrown into pandemonium as hoodlums said to be sympathetic to the ruling party, APC, unleashed mayhem and violence on Igbo traders and their shops, even before the traders arrived to set up wares at 5am. The hoodlums beat up some traders for allegedly voting for the People’s Democratic Party during the presidential and national Assembly elections on Saturday. The hoodlums again returned around 7am to beat up some of the traders, who were assessing the damage done to their shops.
One of the traders, who identified himself simply as Emeka, and whose shop was destroyed, said the hoodlums had no justification to attack the traders and their means of livelihood for exercising their civic right, adding that they were paying taxes to the Lagos State Government.
“I arrived for the day’s business only to see my shed already destroyed. When I asked those who arrived before me, I was told that some people came armed with weapons to destroy our places of business. I also learnt that they beat up some traders when they came the second time.
“This action on the Igbo is condemnable, because we are the ones developing this state. Some of the shops built by the government are sold to us because we are willing to pay any amount to get shops where business thrives. We are calling on the state government to put security measures in place so that such a thing will not repeat itself. As a Nigerian, it is expected that everyone will be free to do business anywhere in the country without being intimidated or harassed by anybody, regardless of who they decide to vote for.”
Another trader, who refused to give her name, said, “There was a problem with the ‘area boys’ this morning at Oshodi. They blocked our shops for almost an hour before the ‘Operation Python Dance’ operatives came and the hoodlums fled. The attack was accentuated by their belief that we the Igbo, who are doing business in Oshodi and environs, voted for the PDP instead of the APC. They even threatened to drive us out of Oshodi and place curses on us.
“So, in the process, information got to the ‘Operation Python Dance’ operatives, who ordered everybody to reopen their shops. That was when people resumed their normal business. What we have seen is that the youth acted based on some people’s directives. We don’t know those who sent them to attack us. Does it mean that we don’t have the right to vote for whoever we want? Must we vote for the same person they are voting for? It is wrong and this should not be a part of the democratic process. There are so many other things happening here, but we don’t say them out in the interest of peace.”
The member representing Oshodi Isolo 1 in the House of Representatives, Mutiu Shadimu, condemned the action of the hoodlums unleashing mayhem on Igbos and called on the authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice.
“No individual has the right to stop them from carrying out their civic duty. We are gradually running towards anarchy and I implore the agencies and people in government to keep up with their constitutional duties and bring to justice those who perpetrated such an act.”
