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Traders at Karu Market in Abuja took to the streets on Thursday in protest over allegations of shop racketeering, claiming they have been unfairly denied access to rebuilt shops despite making payments.
The traders, who lost their shops to a fire last year, say they were asked to pay N2.5 million each for new allocations. However, many of them are yet to receive their shops, while non-traders are allegedly being given spaces in the rebuilt market.
Frustrated by the delay and perceived injustice, the affected shop owners gathered at the market, demanding transparency in the allocation process.
They accused the market authorities of sidelining those who previously occupied the spaces and instead selling the shops to outsiders at higher prices.
“We have paid the required fees, yet we are still left without shops,” one trader lamented. “Meanwhile, people who were never traders here are getting allocations. This is pure injustice.”
The protesters are calling on the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to intervene and ensure that genuine traders are given priority in the reallocation process.
