•Empty rows of stalls at Alaba International Market, Ojo, Lagos . . . on Thursday
The leadership of Alaba International Market, Ojo, Lagos, has dismissed the rumour that they are not complying with the lockdown order which was issued by the Federal and Lagos State governments.
Speaking Thursday while conducting a team of journalists round the sleepy market, which showed clearly that no business activity was going on as all the internal roads were blocked and no shop was open, the President of Alaba Amalgamated Association, Council of Sectional Heads, Fabian Ezeorjika, said that since the March 18 lockdown order which was given by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State and followed a week later by a national broadcast by President Muhammadu Buhari, the market has been under lock and key.
He said that it is only their security personnel and night guards that are keeping vigil in the market in order to stop hoodlums from taking advantage of the lockdown.
According to Ezeorjika, they value life far more than business and as such cannot afford to be doing business while coronavirus is spreading like wildfire across the country.
Speaking further, Ezeorjika said that Alaba International Market is a responsible and law-abiding association and as such cannot violate the order of government.
He said that since the beginning of the lockdown, anybody who has been to Alaba would have seen that it has turned into a ghost market.
Contributing, the Public Relations Officer of the market, Muhammed Buba, said that the rumour mongers are nothing but mischief makers who are jealous of the harmonious relationship existing among Alaba International market and Federal and Lagos State governments.
He said that obedience to constituted authorities has been the watch word of Alaba International market leadership, adding that nobody should take the rumour serious since it is a product of evil minds. Also contributing, the Executive Chairman of Olojo Drive Traders Association, Vincent Ikwueze, said that since the beginning of the lockdown, he has not been to the market.
According to him, when the lockdown was announced, he briefed his members on the importance of staying safe since nothing in the world can be compared with life.
He commended the way both the federal and Lagos State governments have been handling the lockdown which he said has helped to curtail the rate of the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
His words: “The most important thing in the world is life. So, there is no way any reasonable person can flout an order which would help him or her to be alive. We the traders at Alaba International market are complying with the directive of both the federal and Lagos State government to stay at home. Whoever is doubting this should come to Alaba and see with his own eyes.”