N6.5bn Wuye Market Tussle: Traders Raise the Alarm over Access to Market

Over 1,000 shop owners at the N6.5billion Wuye Ultra Moden Market at the weekend raised the alarm over their inability to gain access into the market more than a year after paying for the shops and were given keys.

For about three years now, the market has been under lock and keys over agitation by some 707 traders to forcibly gain entrance into the market without fulfilling the necessary conditions.

The traders, at a stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja, lamented that their money had been tied down due to their inability to gain access to the market to commence business after fulfilling all the necessary conditions.

The shops has been under lock and key on the orders of a Federal Capital Territory High Court while the legal battle between the 707 traders and the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) was pending before it.

At the meeting, the traders agreed that the intervention of the Minister of the FCT should be sought to resolve the matter once and for all so that the market can be opened for business.

They however appealed to officials of the FCDA and the developer to prevail on the FCT minister to look into the matter.

Mr. James Iduh, a lawyer, who spoke at the event, assured the traders that their shops are guaranteed and the very soon the issue would be resolved.

“We implore you to be patient. Your shops are guaranteed. We have strong lawyer handing the case.”

Mrs. Felicia Sani, leader of market women in the FCT also appealed to the traders to be patient, “please be patient. Whoever that paid for the shop must be the owner. N5,000 cannot be compared to full shop payment. They have no right to use and occupy shops at the market without full payment.”

A visibly angry trader accused the FCDA of not handling the issue with utmost importance it deserves.

“FCDA has handled the matter shabbily and indifferently. They have been hiding and refused to talk.”