Dei-Dei killings: FCTA to reopen market Friday

Bello Muhammed, FCT Minister

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), has ordered that the Dei-Dei building materials market be reopened on Friday, a week after the market was shut down when a crisis involving Okada riders and traders claimed five lives.

The FCT Minister, Mallam Muhammad Musa Bello, made this known while briefing newsmen in Abuja on Thursday, after a security meeting with stakeholders of Dei-Dei a Community under the leadership of Sarkin Jiwa, Dr Idris Musa, and all the leaders of five major markets within the community as well as religious leaders.

According to Bello; “We held a very important meeting with the stakeholders of the Dei-Dei Community under the leadership of the Sarkin Jiwa, Dr Idris Musa, and all the leaders of five major markets within the community, as well as religious leaders, were part of the meeting.

“Basically, what we did was to reaffirm the need for peace in the community as well as the FCT in general. We also discussed at length all issues relating to the incident, that occurred last week, which led to the unfortunate loss of lives and destruction of property in the densely populated area.

“What happened was not a tribal or religious crisis, it was just an unfortunate accident that was overtaken by hoodlums in the community, who created havoc. The general consensus is that every community will police itself and make sure that miscreants and hoodlums are flushed out. The markets within the communities will be more organised under very strict supervision by the relevant authorities of the FCTA.

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“And the markets’ leadership will also interrogate their operations and make sure there is internal cohesion, security and control within their markets. The meeting clearly agreed that many of the developments there are totally against the Abuja Master plan, and it was agreed that the FCT Administration would ensure that everything is planned properly according to the Abuja Master plan.

“There is the need to re-emphasise the operations of commercial motorcyclists and ensure that they are brought under full regulation and control. Generally, the entire stakeholders agreed that peace is very important, as without peace there would not be economic development and there would be no society.

“We reiterated that FCTA will ensure that all rules and regulations are adhered to. Going forward, a committee has been set up to be chaired by a senior land and surveying expert, who will have members from the local community, business community within the area, security agencies as well as the FCTA, to within four weeks provide a comprehensive report and roadmap to help develop the area for the benefit of the citizens.

“The FCTA has approved that the markets in the entire area should be opened with effect from Friday, May 27, 2022. In the interim, HRH Sarki Jiwa will go back to the community and seat down with the leaders of the markets, to work out all that we discussed today so that by the time they start operating tomorrow, they will be working on some kind of temporary new guidelines pending the time the committee completes its work.”

Responding, Mr Kingsley Oragwuego, Chairman Dei-Dei Int building Market, thanked the Minister reopening the market.

According to Oragwuego; “We are very happy that the market is reopening, because for one week now our markets have been shut down, and we have lost a lot. We have been making this effort before now, but thank God that at last that our markets are reopened.

“Without each other, we cannot progress, so I’m urging all the people of Dei-Dei building material to live in peace, and embrace each other as with peace there would be development in the area. Our gratitude goes to the Hon. Minister for his intervention and advice given to us to always seek peace will do our business.

“I’m also advising all the traders in the Dei-Dei market to embrace peace, as with peace there would be development in our market and we can achieve all that we want,” he stated.

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Dei-Dei killings: FCTA to reopen market Friday

Lawrence Bajah