Ladipo traders sue Mushin council

•Mushin Local Government Executive Secretary Babajide Bello with some residents and council officials during environmental sanitation at the weekend

Some traders at Ladipo Auto Spare Parts Market have urged the Lagos State High Court to restrain Mushin Local Government from demolishing their shops or ejecting them.

In a motion ex-parte, they are praying for an order of interim injunction restraining the council from “unlawfully” carrying out any demolition in the market or

ejecting them from their business premises at Ladipo Main Market, Mushin, pending the hearing of the motion on notice.

They are also praying for an order maintaining the status quo and suspending actions relating to their ejection from the market, or its closure, pending the determination of their suit.

The traders are Nnamdi Chukwuka, Franco Offai, Vitus Okoyeagu, Felix Okafor, Peter Benson, Richard Olisakwe, Godwin Onyeka, Emeka Ikeh, Romanus Ezimora and Darlington Ugochukwu.

The applicants/claimants through their lawyer Mr Richard Nwankwo, is also seeking the court’s leave to argue their motion ex-parte for interim injunction and motion on notice for interlocutory injunction during the long vacation.

The traders claimed that on June 29, without any prior notification, the council’s agents brought a letter addressed to the Chairman, Ladipo International Auto Spare Parts Market Association, ordering the market’s closure.

According to them, the  agents allegedly demolished parts of the market, damaged their shops, good and property with the help of miscreants, hoodlums and “rented policemen” some of whom were armed.

They said despite the intervention of the Commissioner of Police who met with the parties on July 21 and the pending suit, the respondents continued to threaten and harass them with ejection and demolition.

In a supporting affidavit, Chukwuka said the traders have current and subsisting rents at the market, adding that they pay their rents as when due.

Despite their tenancies, he claimed that the council through its Executive Secretary, Jide Bello, has been threatening to demolish their shops under the guise of redeveloping the market.

He said a letter from the council ordered the market’s immediate closure, despite the plaintiffs being legitimate tenants.

“The respondent also deployed some earth moving/heavy equipment, breaking down shops, removing roofs, not minding that it was drizzling…The hoodlums went on looting spree, carting away some expensive motor parts, cash and other valuable.

“The downpour also damaged several vehicle parts like brain boxes, which are sensitive to water,” the deponent said.

According to him, if the council is not restrained, it may result in “more vicious violation and infractions of our rights and forcible ejection without recourse to the court.”

The council has given a final notice and reminder about its redevelopment of 60 per cent of Ladipo Main Market which it claims it owns.

The notice, signed by Project Consultant Abbas Adenekan and Developer Onyekachi Chris, directed the traders to evacuate all their good and belongings before Friday.

It added that there would be full scale demolition of the structures on the 60 per cent of the market, and advised traders who need temporary space to contact the project consultant.

“The construction period will not exceed five to six months as scheduled,” the notice added.

No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit