Disputes brewing in Niger community over livestock market
Unless the state government takes urgent and firm action on the purported relocation of one of the biggest livestock market in Niger State from Lambata to Izom village, the prevailing peace in the two communities may be put to test.
The two villages were located along Suleja-Minna Road in Niger State.
The market day hold every four days and is patronised mainly by butchers, livestock farmers and traders from within and outside the state and offered affordable prices.
Speaking to our reporter, who visited the market, weekend, a cattle trader, who gave his name as Abdullahi Habu, said the market, which has been holding at Lambata for over two decades, was forced to relocate to its present site in Izom village, recently, as a result of some security breaches by some hoodlums in Lambata.
He alleged that three siblings were killed by some members of the vigilante in the old market after an argument.
Also speaking, a leader of the butchers in Suleja Emirate, Alhaji Umaru Wamban Fawa, said that after the alleged killing, leaders of herders in Niger State summoned all their members to a meeting, where they agreed to boycott the former market and relocate to Izom village, which historically served as cattle market for the Suleja Emirate before it was relocated to Lambata due to cholera outbreak.
Our reporter learnt that the market at Izom got the approval of the state governor, Alhaji Sani Bello, who was said to have worked hard to ensure peace in Lambata.
Following the relocation of the market, our reporter further learnt that the old market at Lambata lost patronage and elders of the community allegedly began lobbying the state government to reverse the decision or, at least, ask cattle traders in Izom to operate on a day other than when traders operate at Lambata.
To this end, a reliable source confided in Daily Trust that that the state government took Izom community by surprise, penultimate Tuesday, (which was a market day) when it sent a memo to some leaders in the area and brought security agencies to stop the market holding.
Youths in Izom, however, protested and blocked traffic on the busy road.
Re-opening of the market later that day saved the situation from deteriorating, our reporter was told.
Leaders of the Fulani cattle traders were said to have visited the governor in Minna, where he asked them to continue trading after they allegedly told him that they would relocate to Abuja if they were stopped from trading at the market.
However, our reporter leant that the market was again disrupted during the weekend by some people said to be in police uniform.
When contacted, the Suleja police area commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police Abubakar Yahaya, confirmed the incident but declined further comment on the latest disruption of the market at Izom village, because he was yet to be properly briefed on the matter.