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Traders protest against errected barricade in Ilorin, Kwara State
Hundreds of aggrieved traders and shop owners from Ilorin’s bustling Post Office and Challenge business districts staged a protest on Monday against the Kwara State Government’s decision to erect barricades that restrict access to their shops.
Armed with placards bearing slogans such as “Don’t kill us,” “Challenge is a central market,” and “Single entrance can’t contain us,” the protesters decried the impact of the walls on their livelihoods.
“Our businesses have been badly affected as we cannot get customers to buy from us. This economic hardship is seriously biting harder,” one trader lamented during the protest.
The barricades, part of a state government project to reclaim setbacks and prevent road encroachments in commercial areas, have blocked major roads connecting Post Office, Challenge, Ahmadu Bello Way, and Tanke Road in Ilorin.
Tension Escalates
Investigations by Punch Metro revealed that tensions heightened over the weekend when one of the barricade entrances was reportedly torn down.
Security forces from the state police command were swiftly deployed to Challenge to maintain law and order.
Confirming the deployment, a senior police officer who spoke on condition of anonymity said, “We are here to maintain peace and order. The police command remains committed to its constitutional responsibility of ensuring harmony.”
Mrs. Toyin Samson, a trader, expressed frustration over the lack of access to their shops. “We have been denied our daily bread because many customers have abandoned us.
“We appeal to the government to provide more entrances to the Challenge market.”
Addressing the controversy at a quarterly press briefing, ESV Abdulraheem Sulyman, Chairman of the Kwara State Geographic Information Service (KW-GIS), explained that the reclamation exercise was in line with Federal Government directives to enhance security.
“This exercise is being carried out across all 16 local government areas in Kwara State to secure public institutions and major roads,” Sulyman said.
PDP Alleges ‘Economic Sabotage’
The state’s opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party, issued a statement condemning the government’s actions.
“This is not only an act of economic sabotage but a calculated attempt to strangle the poor masses and young entrepreneurs who depend on these areas for their livelihoods,” said PDP Chairman, Babatunde Mohammed.
The PDP pledged to reverse the decision if elected in 2027.
“We will prioritise removing these oppressive walls to restore access and ensure businesses thrive,” Mohammed added.
The party also criticised the government’s perceived lack of empathy.
“Erecting thoughtless fences that effectively shut down access to small-scale businesses shows a complete disregard for the economic well-being of citizens.”
