Shocking: the Untold story of Shasha market clash

 

RIVALRY between Hausa and Yoruba traders at Shasha market in Akinyele Local Government Area of Oyo State has been a perennial problem.

From time to time, there have been skirmishes over the control of parts of the market.

Some years ago, there was a minor crisis over collection of fees in the market. While the Yoruba control parts of the market, their visitors agitate for a part.

All this while, there was never a time that the misunderstanding assumed the proportion of this latest crisis.

Vanguard gathered that apart from vehicles, motorcycles and shops that were torched, unspecified number of people were killed during the crisis. Also, over 3,000 people, including children, were displaced.

Last Friday, before the crisis started, business in the market started with its usual hustle and bustle. Suddenly, a common misunderstanding between a pregnant woman and a man from Niger Republic soon snowballed into killings, looting and arson.

What triggered the crisis

There are divergent claims over what actually caused the crisis. While some of the traders, who are resident in the area, claimed that the crisis was triggered by a Hausa man who hit one Adex with a charmed ring which paralysed him and eventually led to his death, a girl who claimed to be at the spot of the crisis said the man that started the fight was not a Hausa man.

How Nigerien triggered crisis

She alleged that the man at the centre of the crisis is from Niger Republic.

She said in a viral video, “I was at the spot when the fight started. Tomatoes belonging to a Niger man littered the frontage of the shop of a pregnant woman who insisted that the man must pack the tomatoes and wash her stained shop.

“They were arguing when a Yoruba man intervened. His intervention soon led to a hot argument during which the Yoruba man slapped him. The Nigerien returned the slap and the Yoruba man fell.

He was rushed to the hospital where he was confirmed dead. People were even saying how just one slap could kill someone. That was how the crisis started. But one man who recorded the scene claimed it was a Hausa man. We should be careful about what we say and post.”

Arson uncalled for—Shasha community leader

But a community leader in Shasha, Amusa Akinade said: “For me, the arson that trailed the death of a cobbler in the market was misdirected and uncalled for. It is sad that the group that was responsible for the death of the man was still going about setting houses and shops ablaze.

Narrating how it started, he said: “It all started with the argument that ensued between a pregnant woman and a Hausa man. A cobbler who came around to pacify them was struck with a magical ring and later died the next day. This triggered the crisis. Government should act fast.

“Those who are causing trouble are now mocking us. They said if Shasha is no longer habitable, they would relocate to nearby community. We want an end to violence in Shasha. I have told our people to maintain peace. Nobody should engage in violence but we want the Hausa to sheathe their sword.

“But, come to think of it, why has urgent and proactive action not been taken? Who is the government afraid of? They are beating about the bush. The people are now saying that they would relocate from Shasha to Iroko. Should we be doing this to ourselves as a people?”

When Vanguard called one of the leaders in the market simply identified as Alhaji Ciroma, he said it was true that ‘we buried some of our people on Sunday.’

Ciroma, whose voice was hoarse as a result of the trauma told Vanguard: “Yes, it is true some of our people were buried on Sunday. Even now, we are still looking for others.”

He faulted the report of a certain special adviser to Governor Seyi Makinde on the crisis saying it didn’t reflect what actually happened.

Vanguard also gathered that about 3,000 people were displaced and are now taking shelter with their people in other parts of the city.

Also, a man from the other side of the crisis who did not identify himself said some of their people have been killed during the crisis.

“Do you know that we lost one popular man, Adex, and others whose whereabouts we don’t know as of now.

“Almost all our shops have been burnt by arsonists. We cannot estimate what we have lost to the crisis. Those who sustained injuries cannot yet be determined until the tension is over.”

A reliable source told Vanguard that some people were being escorted out of the trouble spots by security agents to Moniya area of the city while some reportedly relocated to Mokola area of the city.