Traders Protest: Ilorin Business Barricades Spark Outrage Over Economic Hardship

Traders Protest: Ilorin Business Barricades Spark Outrage Over Economic Hardship

Scores of traders and shop owners from Post Office and Challenge, two major commercial areas in Ilorin, Kwara State, gathered on Monday, January 13, 2025, to protest against the Kwara State Government’s initiative to install barricades restricting access to their businesses.

These barricades, part of Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq’s efforts to reclaim setbacks and curb road encroachments in commercial zones, have led to growing frustration among traders

The barricades have obstructed key routes connecting Post Office, Challenge, Ahmadu Bello Way, and Tanke Road in Ilorin.

Carrying placards with messages such as “Don’t kill us,” “Challenge is a central market,” and “Single entrance can’t contain us,” protesters voiced their concerns about the adverse impact on their businesses.

“Our businesses are suffering as customers are unable to access our shops. This economic hardship is hitting us hard,” said one trader during the protest, according to The PUNCH.

Tensions escalated over the weekend when one of the barricade entrances was reportedly torn down, prompting the swift deployment of state police forces to maintain peace and order.

A senior police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the deployment, saying, “We are here to ensure peace and order. The police remain committed to their constitutional duty of ensuring harmony.”

Toyin Samson, a trader, expressed frustration over the restricted access to their businesses. “We are denied our daily income as many customers have stopped visiting us. We appeal to the government to provide more entrances to the Challenge market,” she said.

At a quarterly press briefing, ESV Abdulraheem Sulyman, Chairman of the Kwara State Geographic Information Service (KW-GIS), defended the reclamation exercise, clarifying that it aligns with Federal Government directives aimed at enhancing security.

“This exercise is being carried out across all 16 local government areas in Kwara State to secure public institutions and major roads,” Sulyman stated.

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