The Ogun State Government has condemned the alleged invasion of Kuto Market in Abeokuta by a group of hoodlums, allegedly accompanied by policemen.
The purported motive behind the invasion was reportedly to demolish and reconstruct the market.
In a statement, signed by Hon. Kayode Akinmade, Special Adviser on Media and Strategy to Ogun State Governor, said the government had no prior knowledge of any plans to demolish the popular market, calling the incident both illegal and unacceptable.
It further emphasized that the policemen who were involved in the incident were not from the Ogun State Police Command but had been recruited from a neighboring state.
The state government praised the swift response of the Ogun State Police Command, which led to the arrest of two of the policemen involved in the illegal demolition.
A manhunt has been launched to apprehend the individual responsible for hiring both the uniformed men and the hoodlums, with authorities vowing to bring all parties involved to justice.
In its statement, the government assured the public that those behind the breakdown of law and order at Kuto Market would be held accountable.
It also urged the market women, traders, and local youths to remain calm, assuring them that robust security measures would be put in place to prevent any further attempts by land speculators or other individuals from attacking the market.
“We urge all residents and stakeholders in the market to maintain peace, as the government will ensure that no one is allowed to disrupt the normal trading activities or cause harm to the community,” the statement said.
