*Protesting mobs set shops, cars ablaze, demand end to Magistrates slamming arbitrary fines on suspects
There was pandemonium at the Wuse Main Market in Abuja over the alleged killing of a middle-aged boy by a police officer attached to the Abuja Markets Management Limited (AMML), Task Force operating at the market.
Eyewitness account on Tuesday, confirmed that the young man was arrested and fined N10,000 by a Special Magistrates Court put in place for allegedly urinating in an unauthorised place in the market.
He was said to have been gunned down after he told the Magistrate that he does not have N10,000 and pleaded for mitigation of the fine which fell on deaf ears.
The witnessses said he neither was he allowed any time to defend himself according to law, which prompted him to decide to take to his heels after he was handicuffed and was being dragged to a waiting van to be taken to the Suleja Prison, where people earlier convicted under similar circumstances were jailed.
While on the run in handcuffs, instead of going after to apprehand him, a policeman attached to the Task Force shot at him, killing him instantly.
After some load-carriers in the market, who identified the felled boy as one of their own, discovered that he has been covered in a pool of his own blood, they decided to embark on riots, throwing stones, sticks and pebble at the Task Force Team members who took to their heels along with the Magistrate, after firing gunshots into the air and canisters of tears gas in every direction of the market leading to pandemonium.
Eyewitnesses said it was either the exploded teargas canisters or the mob that set ablaze the Toyota Hiace bus belonging to the Nigerian Correctional Center.
The consequential fire outbreak spead, setting other vehicles ablaze and spreading to shops, destroying traders’ wares and shops.
The Spokesperson of Abuja Markets Management Limited, Mr. Innocent Amaechina didn’t confirm the cause of the incident, but said he heard that a suspect had been shot dead, a situation which angered hoodlums around the scene.
Amaechina however, confirmed that the AMML’s office in the market and some shops were burnt down by the miscreants, while some staff mebers are still missing.
He also disclosed that he has not been able to access the market to determine the extent of damage to the market, as Police had cordoned off the place, to allow Fire Service take control in order to put off the raging fire and control the situation.
The spokesman for FCT Police Command, Josephine Adeh in telephone interview said, “the situation has been brought under control”.
Recently, there have been complaints about high-handedness and lack of empathy by the AMML and Task Force who see Abuja markets as cash cow that should be milked to death through obnoxious policies amd fines.
It was the same high-hamdedness that led to the series of problems at the former UTC Market at Area 10, Utako Market, Garki Village Market and Karmo Market, leading to intractable problems at the markets.
