The residents of Nuru-Oniwo and Ilorin Streets in Coker/Aguda Local Council Development Area, Lagos State are at loggerheads with the council over the siting of a meat market in the area.
They also condemned the council's alleged use of force and harassment against them in order to retain the meat market.
The residents alleged that the market had become a source of pollution, capable of causing an outbreak of an epidemic in the area.
Secretary to the Nuru-Oniwo Residents'Association, Mr. Kennedy Eze, said the stench from the market was making life difficult for families in the area.
He said, "At times, when they are working, we can hardly stay in our rooms because the stench from the market is worse than that of the mortuary. We have spoken with them (council) several times to make some changes but they have not been listening to us.
"Again, the people in the market have not been taking care of the place they work. Their chairman even started renting out spaces to others, whereas he has refused to pay the monthly allocation of N5,000 allotted to them for the security of the street.
"Aside that is the fact that the market is built under the Power Holden Company of Nigeria's high tension cables. They should not be allowed to stay under the high tension cables. It is risky."
He said at a point, the meat sellers reported the residents to the council, which sent its officials and a team of policemen to pull down some structures in the pathway.
He claimed that the council was now preparing to convert the meat market to a full-fledged market. He said residents were against the new development.
A letter written by the association to the Governor of Lagos, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, stated that the area had also been allegedly invaded by "heavily armed thugs" to force the residents to accept the proposed market.
The letter added that the activities of the meat sellers had brought "untold hardship, health problems and armed robbery to the area.
The residents urged the governor to relocate the meat sellers and stop the chairperson from building shops under the PHCN high tension cables.
However, the chairman of the meat sellers, Mr. Ismaila Babalola, told PUNCH metro that the residents' grievances were unfounded.
He said the meat sellers had been operating in the area for over 20 years and had been a loyal part of the residents' association.
He said, "We don't have any problem with them. We have been working here for the past 20 years and we have never fought them or engage in any disagreement. They are merely antagonising us. We are good people and it is sad that they want to end our means of livelihood."
When our correspondent visited the council, he was told that the chairman, Mrs. Bola Obe, was not in the country. Her deputy was also not around.
However, an official, who would not want to be named said the matter was political. He insisted that the market was in the interest of the people in the community.
