Following the mysterious death of a trader, Alhaja Medinat two days after she allegedly had altercations with a co- trader known as Alhaja Mariam Babatunde Arolahun, tension is now brewing at the Baboko market popularly known as Oja- tuntun in Ilorin west local government area of Kwara state.
It was reliably gathered that the duo, had on Friday 12th January 2024, had altercations over a shop newly allocated to the late Medinat by the authorities of Ilorin west local government to sell ingredients for preparing sobo drinks which is the same items hitherto being sold in the market by Mariam.
It was gathered that during the ensuing argument , the said Alhaja Mariam according to the deceased son, Nurudeen Ibrahim Anifowoshe, allegedly poured a substance believed to be urine on his mother’s body .
The news of the deceased’s death on Monday 15 the Janauary, therefore triggered anxiety, confusion and tension as many traders attempted to embark on protest but the frayed nerves were calmed by the leadership of the market union who hurriedly called for an emergency meeting.
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According to the deceased son, the said Mariam had on Friday January 12th 2024, led two people in mufti who claimed to be police men to pick him up at his mother’s shop after she had done same to his younger brother named, Latif the previous day (Thursday) .
“On getting to the police headquarters, Ilorin, I was detained at the cell from that Friday (12th Janauary) till Monday 15th Janauary, the day my mother die.
“It was when the news of the death of my mother broke out on Monday 15th Janauary and she was about to be buried that they released me to attend her janaza”, he said .
He said that her mother, had since been buried according to Islamic rights in her residence situated in Agbooba Ilorin, opposite Koken Nursery and primary school .
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Although it was not clear whether the late Medinat died as a result of the substance allegedly poured on her which is generating ripples amongst marketers, the reopening of the disputed shops on Monday January 29th by the authorities of Ilorin west local governmental and resumption of the said Mariam without mourning her co- trader, had sparked off row in the market.
The local government had reportedly shut the two shops following the crisis that erupted but the said Mariam, it was gathered had approached a court of law where she obtained a order compelling the local government to reopen the market .
Angered by the development, the leadership of the market union , under the aegis of Baboko marketers’ association have threatened to protest naked should the authorities of Ilorin west local government failed to call the said Mariam to order .
Rising from another emergency meeting on Monday, the association under the leadership of Alhaja Sadiat Adebara, (the Iyaloja), berated the authorities of Ilorin west local government for “indulging the said Mariam and condoning her acts which they said were capable of truncating peace in the market.”
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Prior to the latest incident, the leadership of the association alleged that the said Mariam, had at different times used hoodlums and uniform security operatives including military personnel to intimidate co- traders in the market with impunity.
“In a situation like this what we do is to suspend erring trader by ordering her to lock up her shop untill she is remorseful , we are not preventing anyone from carrying out her business in the market but this woman is a serial trouble maker and unfortunately the local government authorities do not have respect for our traditions, norms and constitution which have been our guiding principles in resolving such matters”, said the iyaloja .
The association leadership said they had petitioned the Kwara state commissioner of Police for her (Mariam’s) “series of acts of threats to the wellbeing of the entire people of Baboko market”.
The petition dated 18th January, 2024, a copy of which was made available to news men, was written through the solicitors to the Baboko marketers’ association, Olalekan Adepoju and CO and signed by Olalekan Adepoju ESQ .
Contacted for her reaction, Spokesperson of Kwara state police Command,Ejire Adetoun Adeyemi did not receive her calls,or return them at press time.
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