Market’s demolition: Chief of Army Staff accused of disobeying court order

By Usman Shuaibu

The Chief of Army staff Lieutenant General Farouk Yahaya has been accused of demolishing multi-purpose building materials market in Maitama, Abuja which was allocated to the traders without obeying court order.
The Abuja-based businessman, Chief Dr Wasiu Tunwase, who is also the Otunba of Yoruba community in the FCT made this accusation in an interview with newsmen in his residence in Zuba.
Otunba disclosed that the allotees were given 25 years to operate in the market and subject to renewal, adding that the traders only spent about three years before the Chief of Army Staff ordered for the demolition of the market.
He further revealed that about 2,500 traders were disengaged in the market due to the demolition, expressing worry the way and manner at which the Nigerian military men were disobeying court injunction in the country.
According to Otunba, we do not have judiciary in this country because Chief of Army Staff does not obey the rule of law, but nobody is above the law of the land.
He pointed out that some traders had already sued the Chief of Army staff to the High Court of Justice 49 in Gwagwalada, Abuja on the demolition of the market and urged the court to do justice to the case.
Tuwase, however, appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari as well as the Attorney-general of the Federation, Abubakar Malami to look into the matter of the demolition of the market along Mammi street in Maitama, and charged the incoming government to work on Nigerian Judiciary in terms of its responsibilities. He pointed out that some traders had already sued the Chief of Army staff to the High Court of Justice 49 in Gwagwalada, Abuja on the demolition of the market and urgonsibilities.