A 68-year-old woman, identified as Alhaja Iyabo, has died after reportedly losing over N50 million in cash during the ongoing demolition of shanties in the Alaba Rago market area of Ojo by the Lagos State Government.
Alhaja Iyabo, a dealer in rice and beans, allegedly developed a heart problem after discovering that her weekend earnings, kept in a safe in her shop, had vanished during the Sunday morning demolition.
The state’s task force issued a removal notice to squatters and occupants of illegal structures in Alaba Rago on May 15, directing them to vacate immediately. However, market leaders estimate that the losses incurred by traders could reach N50 billion, with bags of rice, beans, and livestock among the items lost.
Mallam Ibrahim Hamad Namari, head of the cow dealers in Alaba Rago market, stated that they received no prior notice of the demolition scheduled for Sunday morning.
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He explained that the task force had only issued a removal notice to a section of the market without specifying a start date for the demolition.
“After Saturday’s sale, we kept our money in safes in our shops, intending to take it to the bank on Monday. We woke up on Sunday morning to hear about the demolition. By the time we reached the market, everything was gone. It was the shock of losing her money that led to Alhaja Iyabo’s death,” Namari said.
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CSP Shola Jejeloye, who led the state taskforce, confirmed that the removal notice followed an earlier one issued on May 19, 2022.
Nushubau Ahmad, secretary of the yam dealers, estimated the total losses to be as high as N50 billion.