The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), under the leadership of Nyesom Wike, carried out the demolition of the renowned Kilishi market in Area 1, Abuja. This abrupt action left many traders in a state of disarray.
Kilishi, a popular Nigerian delicacy, akin to jerky, is a dried meat product made from cow, sheep, or goat meat. The market had been a bustling hub for Kilishi vendors, drawing customers from far and wide.
The demolition came in the wake of a notice issued just a day earlier, on Sunday, by Muktar Galadima, the Director of Development Control at FCTA. Galadima convened a meeting with traders and shop owners at the Area 1 shopping complex, ostensibly to reach an understanding before proceeding with the demolition.
During the meeting, Galadima cited the proliferation of attachment shops, illegal constructions, and parking lots as factors that had rendered the roads surrounding the complex virtually impassable, necessitating action.
A bewildered Aminu Maradun, a Kilishi trader at the Area 1 shopping center, expressed his shock at the turn of events. According to Maradun, the officials had initially conveyed that the traders needed to tidy up the area but had not mentioned demolition.
“I am surprised, I don’t know what is happening. They are demolishing the Kilishi market. They only came here yesterday and told us to shift our things because they wanted to do some work there, but they didn’t tell us they wanted to demolish the market. Only for them to come very early to demolish the place. Honestly, we never knew it was going to be demolition. I was called by my people who told me what was happening, by the time I got here around 8:30 a.m. they had already gone far,” Maradun stated.
The abrupt demolition has left traders and vendors in a state of disarray, with Maradun emphasizing the disruption this has caused to their livelihoods.
The demolition of the Kilishi market raises questions about the communication and planning between the FCTA and the traders, leaving many to wonder about the fate of this beloved marketplace and its vendors in the heart of the nation’s capital.