· Tension heighten over Dei-Dei conflict
· Protests over chairmen tenure elongation
· Minister under fire
By Sarah NEGEDU
The past week has been challenging for managers of the nation’s capital, as tension hovered the city following the violence that erupted at the International Building Material Market, Dei-Dei, as well as the decision to suspend the inauguration of the 6 chairmen-elect.
Dei-Dei fracas
At least five persons were confirmed dead, with several others seriously injured following the clash that broke out at the popular building material market and property running into millions destroyed and burnt.
Crisis started after a woman allegedly fell off a commercial motorcycle and was crushed by a moving articulated vehicle.
The incident infuriated youths in the area who burnt the ‘offending’ motorcycle, accusing the motorcyclist of recklessness.
The situation later took a different dimension when aggrieved commercial motorcyclists known commonly as okada, took vengeance to the timber market where they allegedly set a section of the market on fire after having vandalized vehicles at the nearby fire service station.
Minister shuts market indefinitely
The FCT minister, Malam Muhammad Bello, who was at the market later that evening to ascertain the cause and extent of the violence, maintained that the conflict was not motivated by ethnicity or religion but rather, criminal elements escalated the matter in order to carry out their criminal intentions.
Bello, while debunking social media reports that the clash was an inter-ethnic crisis, maintained that, “There was no communal clash here and I appeal to all residents of Abuja to continue to live here as we have always lived in peace as the center of unity.”
The minister then ordered an indefinite closure of the market, while directing the community and the market leaders to fish out the hoodlums responsible for the crisis.
He said, “We have agreed with security agencies that full scale investigations will be done, and the communities have to be part and parcel of the solution or else there will be no peace. In the interim the timber market and the surrounding markets, including all the activities along the road that have clustered it and made it unpassable will all stop until the technical team reviews everything, and then we will take the next decision.”
However, the minister’s action has been frowned at as falling short of being inclusive and far-reaching.
Bello accused of apartheid
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, accused the minister of apartheid in the closure of Dei Dei Market and allowing okada riders to continue their operation after the fracas with traders at the market.
HURIWA demanded the FCT minister to re-open Dei- Dei market, rebuild the infrastructures destroyed by the commercial motorcyclists or ban the operation of commercial motorcyclists in Dei Dei and Kubwa, both on the outskirt of the FCT, for justice, equity, and fairness.
The group protested that it is offensive to the principle of natural justice that two parties were involved in a fracas but the authority rather than make peace and create harmony and reconciliation decided to back one of the combatants because of religious motive.
Minister suspends inauguration of chairmen-elect
While still grappling with the crisis at Dei-Dei, the FCT Administration had another difficult task of announcing the suspension of the inauguration of the six newly elected area council chairmen, barely 24 hours before the official swearing-in ceremony earlier planned for Friday the 20th of May.
This action will later trigger supporters of the chairmen-elect who took to the streets to protest the cancellation.
Business activities at the FCTA Secretariat at Area 11 was almost grounded on Friday, as some of the protesters blocked entrance to the premises while others tried to force their way through to the Minister’s office as the security personnel battle to prevent them from invading the premises.
The chairmen tenures elapse on 19th of May 2022, based on the 2010 Electoral Act that stipulates three years’ tenure for elected council chairmen and ward councils. However, a ruling by a court in the FCT had directed the administration to suspend the inauguration based on the recently signed Electoral Act of 2022, which stipulates that the tenure of office of the chairmen of the area councils in FCT would now be four years instead of three.
FCT Minister had in a statement on Thursday said, though not satisfied with the judgment, the administration will honour the court ruling as a “law-abiding government.”
The statement which was signed by the minister himself reads in part, “According to the judgment, based on the recently signed Electoral Act of 2022, which stipulates that the tenure of office of the chairmen of the area councils in FCT would now be four years instead of three years, the existing chairmen whose tenure were meant to expire or end today, have another one year to continue, based on the new law.”
While complying to the judgment, the minister said the administration is also making efforts to vacate the judgment, “and if need arises, to appeal the judgment, so that the correct position of the law will be determined by the legal processes.”
he residents, who barricaded the roads and made bonfires, demanded reversal of the decision.
Activities grounded at FCTA
Following the minister’s statement, protesters stormed the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, secretariat at Area 11, and other parts of the territory.
At the FCTA, they tried to force their way through to the minister’s office but the security personnel prevented them from invading the premises.
They chanted: “FCT Minister, you must swear them in” while bearing placards with various inscriptions like “FCT minister, we know you obey the law swear in as enshrined in the constitution.
“You were sworn in with the old electoral act, the new chairmen should be sworn in with the new electoral act”, etc.
They also ensured that activities at the FCTA Secretariat were grounded as staff were neither allowed to gain entrance nor exit the premises.
