The Rivers State government has begun the demolition of the popular Ikoku spare parts market in Port Harcourt.
The demolition follows the selling of the land to fronts allegedly working for Governor Nyesom Wike.
A flyover was also proposed to be built in the area.
On 11 October 2019, the Nyesom Wike’s administration announced plans for the relocation of the spare parts market and mechanic sheds out of the present Ikoku area and the Port Harcourt city.
The government, however, did not build an alternative market for the traders but provided a parcel of land at the Iriebe area of Obio-Akpor LGA.
There have been controversies over the selling of the land in which the market was built, with sources saying Wike bought it from the family which owns it.
In June 2020, a 3-week quit notice was given to the traders, mechanics and dealers at the Spare Parts Market to vacate the area.
But well-meaning individuals and civil society groups questioned the rationale behind the sudden eviction order.
Chairman of the traders under the aegis of Ikoku Motor Spare Parts Dealers Association, High Chief Anthony Alaribole Iwu, had said that they are still hopeful that their request for more time would be granted.
According to him, some of their shops were broken into.
He had earlier called on the Rivers State Government to intervene in the matter by prevailing on those behind the quit notice to be more patient with them, as it would not be too easy for the traders to organize themselves and rent shops within just three weeks given the challenges they had faced since this year.
High Chief Anthony Alaribole Iwu said: “What we are fighting for is for more time to be given to us and we’re still on it,” adding that they have channelled their request to the appropriate authorities.
Asked if there was hope that their effort would be fruitful, Iwu answered in the affirmative.
“Yes, we’re hopeful that they will consider our plight and give us some time to organize ourselves,” he said.
“There are rumours that the owners of the Ikoku Spare Parts Market land have sold it for over four billion naira (N4,000,000,000.00) to investors who want to use it to build a school. While some of the rumour mongers claim that the investors are foreign businessmen, others claim that the land was acquired by the Rivers State Government through some individuals fronting as investors”.
