Facts have emerged why the popular Sabo market in Ikorodu have been under lock and key by the state government and Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA).
Competent sources said that the market, which was locked last February 23 and 24, for a week, was locked again on Thursday, April 6 due to the failure of the council, Sole Administrator, Mr. Gbolahan Ogunleye, to comply with the building regulations necessary for the approval of the shops currently being constructed in the market.
The official told Oriwu Sun that after thorough examination of the entire Sabo market, it was found out that the entire new building embarked on by the developers lack integrity tests.
According to the official, who asked not to be mentioned, said in a few years’ time most of the buildings may collapse unless a proper assessment in terms of soil test and foundation test are conducted. He said that the state government is trying to avoid what happened in Lekki last year, where a three story building collapsed killing many people and leading to sacking of the former General Manager and some officials.
According to him, it was unfortunate that former chairmen of the council did not follow the master plan of the market and that they were only interested in getting kickbacks from the contractors rather than doing the needful. He said they only gave them verbal approval and promised to rectify the buildings through the state government, which they never did.
The source said that the incumbent sole administrator, Mr. Ogunleye, has a dose of the blame because rather than rectify the past mistakes, he is indifferent to the plight of the market traders. Oriwu Sun has it on record that the past chairmen and councilors collected huge sums of money from contractors ranging from millions of naira and also allocated shops.
Most of them collected this money to contest for next local government election coming up in July 2017or gave it to their concubines. Today, it is the market women and traders that are suffering. On April 11, 2017, the entire market men and women numbering more than three thousand led a protest march to the Ayangbure of Ikorodu about 10:00am to again lay their complaint to the Oba in order to find urgent solution.
Oriwu Sun reporter, who was there said that Oba Kabir Shotobi was not around to attend to them but a delegation, who addressed them directed them to the chairman’s father’s house at Solomade. This is because, according to a source in the palace, the Sole Administrator since assumption of office, has not been giving the Oba listening ear on community affairs and has decided to brush the kabiyesi aside in the running of the town.
However, the protesters were advised to go to sole administrator’s father’s house to ask him to talk to his son. As at the time of filing this report, Sabo market has been under lock and key for seven days.
Though, the market was opened for pedestrians and traders, no vehicle was allowed inside the market, which made it difficult for every trailer or lorry to discharge their goods.
Roads along the Sabo axis, Ogunshi and Itoikin roads were littered with vehicles that could not go inside the market as a result of the closure, which led to heavy traffic.