– By Chinedu Nwaduru
Reports reaching the ABH PRESS is that the Oyo State Government has shut down all trading activities at the Bodija Market, due to a clash between the state police and the butchers of the market.
Our correspondence reports that the clash was due to an order issued to the butchers earlier this week, to relocate from Bodija market to Amosun village. The butchers claimed that the relocation order, which was a verbal order did not come from the governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi; but was the handiwork of some persons (elements) within the National Butchers Union (NBU)
Earlier on Sunday, dozen of butchers from the union called on the governor to prevail urgently against some persons within the union who were using soldiers, policemen and other security agents to destroy their property and intimidate the butchers across the abbatoirs in Ibadan. [Read more here]
Passers-by reported hearing gunshots fired sporadically in the air. A verified handle of the OYSG tweeted in response to the shudown, stating that the market was shutdown to safeguard lives and properties, and avoid further escalation.
So far, there has been no casualties recorded.
No word yet from the state government on the issue.
Brownites are advised to avoid the Bodija-UI route for now, as the Bodija market has been marked a “hot-zone” for now. Alternative routes including Mokola-Sango-UI axis are advised for now.