Frustrated, helpless and stranded were the words used to describe the traders striving for survival at the UTC shopping complex in Abuja after they lamented how they were evicted by alleged greedy government officials from their sources of survival on Saturday, 3rd June 2023.
One of the helpless traders, who spoke to News Band, lamented that they are counting their losses following what he described as “Black Saturday in Abuja”.
In a piece addressed to the editorial board of News Band, the trader who spoke on condition of anonymity to avoid a possible vistimisation, said a total of 438 shops and businesses were evicted.
According to him, they were forcefully evicted by greedy government officials and the police in connivance with real estate developers.
He said: “Helpless traders in the UTC shopping complex, Area 10, Garki were forcefully evicted by greedy government officials and the police in connivance with real estate developers.
“438 shops and businesses evicted. Where are we going in the lawlessness in Nigeria? When can we rest in this country?”
The traders said that there was no court order to this effect, rather that they were ambushed in the name of “renovation”.
Worse yet, some of the demolished properties were, according to the small and middle scale business men and women, included shops that the traders outrightly bought and owned.
He noted: “The government engaged a company called Urban Shelter to ‘develop’ the property including shops that the traders outrightly bought.
“For over 3 years, the shop operators and owners have asked Urban shelter for a contract indicating the plans for their new shops after the ‘renovation’.
“Urban shelter refused to put anything in writing.
“The shop operators and owners took them to court to demand a written agreement, etc. before any ‘renovation’ commences.
“They have been in court for more than 2 years.
“Now they have done an illegal demolition in order to force the traders out while the courts asked both sides to stay any action until the case is concluded.
“The level of impunity in Nigeria has gotten out of hand,” he lamented.
See more pictures of the destroyed shops leaving stranded hundreds of traders below:
An observer thought it is ironic that while the federal government is seeking ways to support small and middle scale businesses, the FCT Administration is destroying and rendering thousands and their dependants despondent.
He also regretted that the action will drive more Nigerians into poverty amidst the well over 133 million Nigerians who are already wallowing in poverty under the former President Muhammadu Buhari federal government.
Primary investigation carried out by News Band shows that Urban Shelter Limited is a property development and management company located at 428, Michael Okpara St, Shippers Plaza, 2nd floor, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, Nigeria.
Further investigation shows that the property and real estate developers also thrive in selling properties, land and estate, as well as housing maintenance across several states, including Lagos, Abuja, Kaduna and Niger.
This medium tried to contact Urban Shelter through a phone number on its website, +234 815 999 9699, but met no response.
We dropped a message via WhatsApp on the number as well as on its Twitter handle, @UrbanShelter, but the messages were yet to be responded to as at the moment of this publication.
We will furnish further details as soon as they are available. Read more.
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