Vendors affected by the continuous demolition of buildings in key locations throughout Kwara State’s Ilorin metropolis have urged the government to offer support in any way possible to help them resume their line of work.
On Saturday, the administration used bulldozers to demolish businesses and buildings that it claimed were in the way of renovations of the popular Post Office, around, Ahmadu Bello Way, in Tanke, and Oloje neighbourhoods.
The government stated that “a standard practice aimed at facilitating infrastructural development is marking structures encroaching on government setbacks.”
Speaking with the media, a trader named Mrs. Rukayyat remarked, “This is too heavy for me to bear.” Where do they want us to start from; looking at your lifetime investment crumbling before your very eyes? I am a single mother and I depend on this business to cater for my children and family members. We should at least have been given alternative places.”
Another Victim, Mazi Ojo Ojukwu said, “The issue is that although they said this place was illegal, they collect revenue from us. He noted that, “The country is hard, and throwing people into a state of confusion in this situation is something else. Some of us collect bank loans and just restocked before this.”
A Trader, Mallam Yusuf Abdullahi Shiga said, “a lot of people will not be able to sleep today. Some of us have been here for over 30 years making ends meet and this is just adding wounds to our injury. The government should just look for a way to assist business owners here.
