.. Traders protest, accuse landlords
By: Felix Ikpotor
Suspected hoodlums Tuesday night reportedly vandalized shops and carted away properties worth millions of naira at the popular Ikoku Spare Parts Market in Port Harcourt.
This is even as the traders are pointing accusing fingers at the landlords for masterminding the attack on their shops.
The traders were lastweek given a three week notice to vacate the area.
The traders say an unknown investor has bought over the market and wants them out immediately.
An angry trader who identified simply as Mr Ibe while speaking with reporters at the market said they are not happy over the incidents as the time given to them to park out was too short.
“This is a market and not one room. How can you give me three weeks to park out. We have been paying our rents here and we are not owing. The property is our own and if you want us to park out they should give us enough time and a place and not just invade us like that”
Another trader who claimed to have been in the market for thirty years lamented, “ if the government or whoever wants us to leave they should give us a place and time and not to break all our stores and cart away goods worth millions of naira”
The traders plead with the government to come to their aid as they have been destabilized by the incident.
Our reporter who visited the area reported that a giant bill board has been erected at the market with inscription, “ We the family of Late Chief Gordon Mail Kpasa have sold her properties known as No. 12, 12B, 14, 14B, No. 16, 16B and behind Sti Thomas Anglican Church Okporo-Woji Mile 2 Diobu Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt City Local Government Area, Rivers State. We have completely refunded all tenants their rents paid . the investors/Owners of the above properties will be on ground on or before 30th August, 2020 to demolish the structures/buildings/ chanties”.
Port Harcourt Spectator also recalls that the State Government had previously threatened to evict the traders following their refusal to vacate the roads. The market was also shutdown for weeks during the period of intense lockdown in the state by the government.
