Traders shut down FCT markets to mourn victims of Emab Plaza blast
Traders in Abuja, yesterday, shut down some markets and plazas for some hours in honour of traders, who lost their lives in the Emab Plaza bomb blast in Abuja.
The traders, who operated under the auspices of the Abuja chapter of the National Association of Nigerian Traders (NANTS), said the measure was taken as their last respect for the victims of the bomb blast, who were mostly traders.
It could be recalled that on June 25, a blast went off at about 3:57 pm, which triggered a big bang that set the massive Emab shopping mall on fire and reportedly killed 17 persons, believed to be mostly traders.
“Most of the victims were traders. We lost traders there and we decided to give them our last respect by shutting down the markets and plazas between 7:30 am to 12:00 pm,” said the chairman of Utako Ultra-Modern Market, Mr. Felix Nweze.
Mr. Nweze further said that the order to close markets and plazas was substantially observed by traders across the city.
City News went round Utako, Wuse and Garki markets to observe the extent of compliance and found that traders at Utako Market fully complied even as traders at Wuse and Garki markets were seen carrying out their normal businesses.
With some members of NANTS stationed in front of Utako Market to ensure total compliance by traders, City News observed that by 10a.m., the market and most plazas in Utako District were under lock and key without the usual hustle and bustle.
However, the situation was different at both Wuse and Garki markets as they were not only open to the public but the traders were seen in their shops attending to customers.
The head of taskforce and enforcement of Wuse Market, S. B. Musa said government did not authorise any closure of markets and as a result, the market was opened to the public.
On whether he was aware of the directive by NANTS, he said the market is owned by the government and not an association, adding that only the FCT Minister can authorise the closure of the market.
“If you want to mourn anyone, you can close your shop and stay at home, not closing the whole market,” Musa volunteered.
When contacted on phone, the manager of Abuja Markets Management Limited, Ibrahim Yahaya-Joe, declined comment but a trader at Wuse Market, Chinedu Ndubuisi, said he learnt of the directive and delayed opening his shop until by 10:40 a.m. when it became apparent that the order would not be enforced in the market.