Protesters who were angry over the demolition of Gosa market on Airport road yesterday attacked officials of the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council and the Department of Development Control of the FCTA.
The protesters hurled stones at the officials who were on another visit to the Gosa Friday market that was demolished last Saturday, sparking protests that resulted in the blocking of the expressway.
The protesters were also seen throwing stones at policemen who fired teargas.
Our reporter gathered that a policeman and a staff of the FCTA were injured in the melee. However, four people said to have led the riot were arrested.
The coordinator of Abuja Metropolitan Management Council, Umar Shuaibu, said the Airport road was the gateway to the federal capital and must be kept clean, adding that they didn’t totally evacuate the market but moved the traders selling on the road into the market.
He said: “We cannot allow illegality and that is why these people will have to move at least 500 metres away from the main road to the market so that the traffic holdup caused by this illegal market on the main road will stop.
“If Abuja is clean, it is for the benefit of all of us in the country so people should learn to follow due process. We are going to make sure that Abuja is clean.”
City News gathered that the protesters poured out on the expressway again blocking the road and causing traffic gridlock that lasted for hours.
A motorist said he had to turn back take Zuba road to get to the city centre around 2pm yesterday.
