Some parts of the popular Wuse Market in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) were ablaze by suspected hoodlums and some angry traders in the market over the killing of a hawker on Tuesday afternoon.
An eyewitness, who pleaded anonymity, explained that a hawker caught in the market and tried in a mobile court attempted to escape punishment, but was shot and killed by a Prison Warden.
“The young man could not pay the fine, then they decided to take him to their prison. When they put him inside their vehicle, as they were moving, he jumped out of the vehicle and attempted to run, that was when he was shot by a Prison Warden.
“The young man died immediately, which angered all the Hausa traders and hoodlums who started setting shops ablaze and destroying anything they could lay their hands on,” the eyewitness said.
The incident led to a pandemonium and confusion as well as traffic gridlock on all the roads leading to the market as people started running in different directions for safety.
Policemen, who arrived at the market, barricaded the entrance to prevent people from moving into the markets, and they were seen shooting sporadically and firing tear gas to disperse the irate mob.
A section of the market, specifically the car park at the northern side of the entrance was affected by the fire set by the irate mob as some vehicles in the car park were burnt.
When contacted, a senior official of the Abuja Markets Management Limited, (AMML) who also pleaded for anonymity, confirmed the incident.
It was not clear how many people were injured in the stampede that ensued and the degree of injuries sustained in the melee, because people scaled the fences while some pushed their way through the few gates to escape the scene.
Confirming the fire incident, Innocent Amaechina, AMML PRO, confirmed that their office and other shops, as well as some cars, were burnt.
He said he could not confirm those responsible for the fire incident, but that the Fire Service and the Police had taken over and cordoned off the area, saying he couldn’t access the area himself.
