By Lukman Olabiyi
Lagos State Government, alongside two of its commissioners and the Inspector General of Police, has been dragged before the Federal High Court, Lagos, over eviction notice issued to the Hausa/Fulani traders at Alaba Rago Market.
The traders in the suit, which also has the Commander, Lagos Rapid Response Squad (RRS) and Lagos State Environmental and Special
Offences Unit (Task Force) as respondents were claiming the sum of N50 millions as damages from the respondents for allegedly discriminating them as Hausa/Fulani.
The suit was instituted against the respondents by the traders’ leaders. Listed as applicants are Alhaji HusaiiI Muhammed Lajawa, Alhaji Hamisu Mansur, Alhaji Muhammed Aminu and Pastor J.T. Assan.
Among the reliefs which the applicants are seeking are: “A declaration that the removal notice pasted only on the applicants at the market, who are Nigerians of the Hausa/Fulani extraction, on the basis of their tribe, while none was served on the Igbo and Yoruba who occupy Alaba International Market and Tanzan Market, respectively, is discriminatory and a breach of the applicant’s fundamental right as guaranteed by Section 42 of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
“A declaration that the removal notice pasted on the applicant’s properties at Alaba Rago Market, without following due process, is unlawful and a breach of the applicant’s right to properties as guaranteed by Section 43 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.
“A declaration that the removal notice pasted on the applicants property at the market, who are Nigeria of the Hausa/Fulani extraction, without any justifiable reason and, thereby, denying the applicants of their means of livelihood, and in breach of the applicants fundamental right to life as provided and guaranteed under Section 33 of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
“An order of injunction restraining the respondents from removing the applicants from their market at Alaba Rago Market, Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State without any alternative.
“An order of injunction restraining the respondent from demolishing the Alaba Rago Market, where the applicants carry on their business and validly allocated to them by the respondents.”
The applicants’ suits were supported with a 22 paragraph affidavit and, according to their counsel, O.K. Salawu and S.A. Salaudeen, it has been served on all the respondents. No date has been fixed by the court for hearing of the suit.