Bodija Market reopens today

COMMERCIAL activities are expected to resume today at Bidija Market, which was shut last Friday following clashes between the Hausa people and some policemen.Nigerian Tribune gathered that the decision to reopen the market was taken following a stakeholders' meeting held.The meeting, which lasted several hours, had in attendance some executives of Bodija Market Traders' Association, the chairman, Ibadan North Local Government Area, Mr Muritala Lapade, representatives of the State Security Service (SSS) and the Oyo State police command.The Public Relations Officer (PRO), Bodija Market Traders' Association, Mr Akeem Emiola, who spoke on the telephone on Monday, said 'We agreed to cooperate with the police on how to renovate the burnt station.'The incident is unfortunate. As a matter of fact, we are aware that the police station is for our own security. To that extent, we are ready to work closely with the police in putting it back to shape.'The market association stated that the four-day closure of Bodija Market had affected them adversely. The worst hit, they said, were those selling perishable items.Speaking on behalf of the chairman of the Traders' Association, Alhaji Olalekan Azees (a.k.a Energy), the PRO said: 'The police released 14 of our arrested members.'The market was closed as a result of the protest that followed the clash between the Hausa community and the police at the Bodija police division.The Police Public Relations Officer, Oyo State police command, Mrs Olabisi Ilobanafor, confirmed the release of 14 traders arrested in connection with the incident.Ilobanafor said: 'Some of those arrested had been released conditionally having discovered through preliminary investigation that they must have been wrongly arrested.'She said that others that were allegedly linked with the crime were being investigated by the Criminal Investigation Department of the Oyo State police command, Iyaganku, Ibadan.Traders and consumers had lamented the continued closure of the market.Commercial activities in the market, known as one the biggest food stuff markets in the South-West, was paralysed, as traders abandoned their wares and ran for safety.
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