Commercial activities were brought to a standstill yesterday in the popular Dei Dei Timber and Furniture Market as commercial motorcyclists protesting the burning of a member’s motorcycle went on rampage.
The motorcycle riders allegedly invaded the market and set it ablaze following an altercation between them and the traders over a woman who fell from a motorcycle and was crushed by a trailer.

One of the affected traders, Mr Moses Ejiofor, who claimed to have witnessed the accident, said the crisis started after a motorcycle carrying a woman ran into a trailer which crushed the victim.

He said the driver of the trailer refused to stop, which prompted people in the area to pursue him to Dei Dei Junction where he was caught.

Ejiofor said the motorcycle riders in the area mobilised to recover the motorcycle that was involved in the accident from the scene of the accident, but some people around who witnessed what happened refused to give them the motorcycle and set it ablaze.

“That was the beginning of the crisis, the motorcycle riders who were visibly angry went back and mobilized themselves from every direction they could penetrate and decided to set the timber shades on fire.

“As I am speaking with you, all my goods are seriously affected, because my goods are positioned behind the market. Their attacks were unexpected, as nobody thought that burning the motorcycle that led to the death of that innocent woman would lead to this crisis. All these motorcycle riders are always out of control, the government should do something about them.

“Also, a particular plaza close to the timber market was also vandalized. What I have lost in the fire, I cannot evaluate it, because most of my goods inside the market were affected,” he said.

Another trader in one of the plazas, Chukwuemeka Okafor, said that a handful of soldiers who arrived at the scene on time were the ones that brought the crisis to control.

“But for now, everyone is where he or she can be safe. No fight presently, but the soldiers are on alert securing the building material shops, but the timber market was invaded from behind because timbers are highly inflammable and we were not happy that fire service could not come early, which led to the damage of the market.

“The goods that have gone down cannot be estimated at the moment. I cannot even access the area of the crisis, because the military has prevented any kind of movement. It is after the whole crisis, I will be able to know the damage done to my goods, but it is worth millions,” he said.

Another eyewitness and trader in the market, Simon Moses, said the crisis stated after an okada rider ran into a trailer, killing the lady passenger instantly.

He said the traders and the okada riders started quarrelling and this escalated into burning of the motorcycle involved in the accident and the warehouses of the furniture marketers, with goods worth billions destroyed.

Meanwhile, the FCT police spokesperson, DSP Josephine Adeh said comprehensive deployment of tactical and intelligence assets of the command led by the Commissioner of police, CP Babaji Sunday led to the return of peace in the area.

The police said the team were drafted swiftly to the scene to ensure that the unrest is nipped in the board and managed, forestalling the destruction of private and government infrastructures, loss of lives and properties and to restore normalcy to the situation.

She said: “Consequent upon the above, the police in a concerted effort with other state apparatus upon arrival at the scene, managed the uproar preventing further disintegration of law and Order.”