Shasha Crisis: Northern Governors Visit Scene, Pledge To Rebuild Market
Governors from four Northern states in Nigeria have visited the Shasha market crisis scene to discuss how to rebuild.
On Tuesday, four northern governors visited the Shasha market, the scene of the recent violence between Yoruba and Hausa residents in Oyo State, Southwest Nigeria.
The governors, who were part of a delegation of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), visited the community alongside Seyi Makinde, Governor of Oyo state.
HumAngle reported that the clash that lasted for two days led to at least 11 residents and loss of properties.
The clash had first erupted on Thursday at the Shasha market in Akinyele Local Government Area of Ibadan when a pregnant woman and a porter had a heated argument over waste disposal.
The porter had allegedly assaulted the pregnant woman after she insisted that he must clear the waste he dumped in front of her store.
While trying to resolve the altercation between the two persons, a cobbler, Sakirundeen Adeola, popularly known as Korex, was reportedly punched by the pusher, causing him to collapse on the spot.
Speaking during the tour, Abubakar Bagudu, leader of the delegation and Governor of Kebbi State Governor, pledged that the market, which was burnt down to ashes during the clash, would be rebuilt.
“We, the Nigerian Governors Forum, are going to support. As a matter of fact, we have given a token to those who are already displaced, and we will meet at a wider table tomorrow and can assure that more support will be mobilised,” Bagudu said.
Speaking further, he noted that the crisis was “not a tribal but a regrettable conflict that different communities in Oyo State are holding themselves to sort out.”
“We went to Shasha market and saw the destruction, but more than the destruction was a regrettable loss of lives that was caused by a condemnable spontaneous response to emotions because both the Hausa and Yoruba communities were unanimous that two issues led to this situation.”
“One, there had been contention over the leadership of the Shasha market, but even though the Seriki Shasha and Baale of Shasha are in agreement about leadership, other interested groups were not so in agreement. So, there was this undercurrent playing out.”
“On the other hand, there was somebody pushing a wheelbarrow with tomatoes, and it fell in front of a shop. Ordinarily, one would have thought such is normal in a market, but since emotions are pent up, unfortunately, we had such a situation since emotions are pent up. We sympathise with all those who lost their lives and property.”
Meanwhile, Governor Makinde, while addressing the delegation, maintained that Nigeria’s unity comes before any political differences.
The governor, who described the clash as a regrettable one, maintained that his administration would leave no stone untouched to ensure peaceful co-existence in the state.
“As a government, we will continue to look for an avenue to restore a peaceful co-existence for all of us. Please, I want you to join hands with us, and we also acknowledge that sometimes, we process information and we may not get to the roots of the issue,” he said.
“If you see something, say something to us, and we will address the challenges frontally.”
Other Governors on the team were Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano, Bello Muhammad Matawalle of Zamfara and Abubakar Sanni Bello of Niger.
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