The Apo Traders on Monday petitioned the House of Representatives over the land allocation. A member of Representatives Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere present at the occasion promised to address the land allocation issue that has caused Apo Traders untold hardship in Abuja.
The Chairman of Apo Traders Association, Chimezie Ifeh said they signed an agreement of the land allocation but successive FCT Ministers failed to play their part on the agreement. He narrated the treatment meted out to them since 1990 when Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) first gave them a permanent place for business with allocation paper. He also narrated how they lost two lives and Billions of Naira during the 2020 ENDSARS protest. He said they spent over N100m on their project and all the present and the past directors have given advise on what to do still the former Minister refused to sign the lease of agreement.

The Chairman stated that they started their business many years ago in Garki village during the IBB era which was the first place allocated to them before they were moved to Durumi, now national Assembly Quarters before they were moved close to Apo round about. In 1990, The AMAC gave them a permanent place place and were directed how to build their shops according to AMAC plan. Shops were built and business was going on well until 2006 when the FCT Minster Nasir El-Rufai gave them 48 hours to vacate their shops and demolition took place before the expiration of the 48 hours. He revealed that many of their members died as a result of shock. “from that time, we started trading on the road corridor” the petition reads.

Part of their petition also reads that Senator Bala Mohammed who approved and directed them to look for a place that will accommodate them. He said they were called by An Assistant Director Wale Aderitan assuring them that a place has been found for them and called for a meeting between traders and FCDA. He further revealed that they were told they would be responsible for taking care of the land and a surveyor Earth Moving Services Nig Ltd was introduced to them who charged them 10.5m and they paid with evidence of receipt. Subsequent months went by without the FCDA doing nothing on their site, they decided to write a protest letter to the National Assembly under public petition in 2012. In 2015, the documents were given to them after series of follow up.

The petition also said that in 2018, the legal director called for a meeting where they were told that if they want him to sign the lease agreement within two weeks, he will prepare a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between them and change the title of the land to the name that he would bring and the traders replied him that he should put in writing but he refused. The traders appealed to the Lawmakers for help because members died and many property had been destroyed without compensation or reallocation.

Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere responded by assuring the traders that the petition will be addressed by the House of Representatives on Tuesday or Wednesday adding the petition will be laid before the house for legislative action.

edited from Leadership.ng