The busiest market in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Wuse Market, returned to normalcy on Tuesday following an attack on the market management staff by touts operating within the market on Monday.
Trouble had started Monday morning when hoodlums in their numbers swooped on market-compliant officers, otherwise called Taskforce who had just resumed duty after their transfer from other markets by the Abuja Markets Management Limited, the body saddled with the administration of markets in the FCT.
In the end, three staff of the market’s management were left in critical condition while others suffered various degrees of injuries.
The Market office was not also spared as the miscreants descended on it, damaging any valuables on sight.
However, speaking to journalists on the development on Tuesday, the HOD of Operations, Abuja Markets Management, Mr. Innocent Amaechina said that the hoodlums attacked the staff of AMML who had just been redeployed to Wuse Market, obviously because these compliance officers effectively checkmate their menacing activities.
Amaechina said that on sighting the staff, the touts swooped on them, leaving three of them severely injured.
Speaking further, he maintained that no staff was sacked, contrary to a report that the hoodlums were protesting over the return of a sacked staff.
According to him, he wondered how touts and hoodlums who had no stake in the market would be in a position to choose, let alone protest who should or should not form part of the market management team.
While thanking the FCT Police Commissioner, Ben Igweh for his prompt intervention in restoring normalcy to the market, the Market Managers, assured the traders and other market users of their safety in the market, going forward.
“We are glad to report that the FCT Police are on top of this and we are providing all necessary support alongside the Wuse Market Traders to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to book.
“We are not unmindful of the trauma that our staff, the traders and other market users have gone through, as well as the overall poor perception these occurrences can attract to the market and the FCT at large.
“We can assure all our stakeholders and the market users that we won’t let this slide. For this reason, we are putting far-reaching measures in place that will engender sustainable sanity in the market,” he assured.
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