Traders say 21-day demolition notice threatens livelihoods, demand dialogue and alternative arrangements before any exercise.
Hundreds of traders at the Bodija International Market in Ibadan, Oyo State, have staged a peaceful protest against a proposed demolition of more than 1,000 shops by the Aare-Latosa Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Ibadan North Local Government.
The affected traders, mostly owners and occupants of shops located behind the Bodija International Market Police Station, said they were served a 21-day demolition notice without prior consultation or sensitisation.
Carrying placards, the protesters appealed to Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, to intervene urgently and halt the proposed demolition, which they said could destroy their businesses and leave hundreds of families without means of livelihood.
One of the traders’ leaders, Alhaji Wasiu Agbaje, said they were shocked to receive a letter dated August 14, 2026, directing them to vacate their shops within 21 days.
“We were surprised to receive a demolition letter dated 14th August, 2026, by Aare-Latosa Local Council Development Area, ordering us to vacate our shops within 21 days,” Agbaje said.
The Secretary of the Arewa Traders Association, Bodija, Bappa Hurso, said the demolition of more than 1,000 shops without alternative arrangements would worsen hardship and throw many families into economic difficulties.
Hurso said many traders had operated in the area for years and invested heavily in their businesses, urging the state government to investigate the circumstances surrounding the demolition notice.
He said the protest was peaceful because the traders preferred dialogue and due process, adding that traders from different ethnic backgrounds had coexisted peacefully in the market since its establishment in 1987.
“We Arewa citizens are law-abiding. We were not informed before the notice was served around 11:30pm,” Hurso said.
Another trader, Mrs Sadia Bakare, appealed to the government to reconsider the planned demolition, warning that it would cause widespread job losses and increase hardship among traders and their families.
“Government should have mercy on us. The demolition will lead to joblessness, hardship and pain. This is our source of livelihood; we have nowhere to go,” she said.
The traders also called on security agencies and traditional rulers to intervene and help prevent any breakdown of law and order.
They urged the local council and relevant authorities to engage them in meaningful discussions and provide alternative arrangements before taking any action on the proposed demolition.