…Government denies, calls for probe
From Lateef Dada, Osogbo
Traders in Osogbo, Osun State, on Thursday, lamented the destruction of their kiosks and shops in different markets by officials of the state government.
Traders in Ayegbaju market, Alekuwodo, Okefia, and some other markets alleged that their properties were destroyed overnight by corps under the state government.
One of the traders who identified herself as Sade alleged that the Iyaloja of Ayegbaju had accused them of preventing traders from entering the market by staging their goods outside the market.
She said, “The Iyaloja of Ayegbaju had threatened that they would eject those of us outside the markets but they didn’t issue any notice for us to quit,” the trader said.
But the state government said none of its officials in the Ministries of Commerce and Environment was involved in the overnight raid on Ayegbaju market,
A statement by the spokesperson to Governor Ademola Adeleke, Olawale Rasheed, explained that the ministries have standard guidelines for the enforcement of government regulations.
“In this case, government agencies do not have provisions for night enforcement of regulations. So those unidentified individuals are definitely not staff or agents of the state.
“Mr Governor has subsequently directed the Commissioners of Commerce and Industry and that of Environment to investigate the matter and take immediate corrective action,” Rasheed said.