Traders in Barnawa market, Kaduna South local government area of Kaduna State on Friday staged a peaceful protest, condemning governor El-Rufai’s alleged plan to demolish the market.
They also condemned plans by the state government to relocate the market to a new site.
Speaking to newsmen in Kaduna, the Chairman of Barnawa marketers, Alhaji Abdullahi Suleiman, said the market had about 600 shops, explaining that most of the occupiers either built the shops by themselves, bought the shops or inherit them from their parents.
He expressed dismay over the 10 days demolition notice given by the state government, with no consultation with the traders on the modalities that would be taken to carry out the exercise.
He added that almost all the shop owners are people whose means of livelihood solely depend on what they realize from their sales, saying, “You can see for yourself the caliber of people protesting.
“We are appealing to governor El-Rufai to please look at our plights and consider what we are passing through to allow us continue with our business as it has been all these years.
“We have also written a joint letter to the governor not to demolish Kasuwa Bachi, Kurmin Mashi, Railway Station and Barnawa markets but to listen to the masses and to allow them do their business without any problem. ”
The protesters carried placards, calling on governor El-Rufai to desist from the planned demolition of the markets in order to erect modern ones, pointing out that such action would deny them ownership of the shops they are presently using.
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