OYO: Shasha mayhem unfortunate, tragic – Osinbajo

VICE-President, Yemi Osinbajo, has described what happened at Shasha market in Ibadan on Friday as “unfortunate and tragic.”

Speaking with newsmen during a condolence visit to Lateef Jakande’s residence at Ilupeju area in Lagos State, Osinbajo said:

“I have heard about the unfortunate mayhem and the tragic loss of lives at the Shasha market in the past few days.

”Shasha market has been a melting pot for traders bringing foodstuff from the North to the Southwest for decades.

“For decades traders from the North have done business with their brothers from the Southwest and they have lived in peace and even inter-married. Shasha represents unity,” he said.

He added: “So when a disagreement arises between individuals or a criminal act is committed by one against the other we must ensure that we see it for what it is, a criminal act, which must be punished according to law. Not an ethnic conflict.

“Every Nigerian has a constitutional right to live, work and enjoy their lives in safety, peace under the law.”

While admitting that it is the duty of government to protect lives and property of citizens, the Vice President stressed that it behoves citizens to assist the police in intelligence gathering so as to fish out criminals

“We must never take the law into our own hands, if we do we will be promoting chaos, and a breakdown of law and order, and all of us especially the most vulnerable amongst us, will be at risk.

”I urge all community leaders to work together to preserve the brotherly co-existence that our people from different parts of the country have enjoyed in Shasha market for several decades.

“I commend the governor for his swift and decisive action and all the law enforcement agencies for their prompt intervention,” he said.

Violence erupted in the famous Shasha Market of Ibadan, Oyo State on Friday when there was a clash between some Hausa traders and Yoruba’s.

Three persons were reportedly killed as a result of the clash with shops and property torched by hoodlums who reportedly took advantage of the incident to inflict pain on people.

The Oyo State government has since shut the market and imposed curfew on Shasha area of Ibadan.