Some traders at the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway protested on Monday against the alleged expansion of Chinese merchants into retail trading in the market
The traders expressed concern that the growing involvement of Chinese merchants in retail business could threaten the survival of local businesses and displace Nigerian traders from the market.
However, the protest was later suspended following interventions by the leadership of the Traders Association, local government officials and the police.
Speaking with Punch correspondent on Tuesday, the Secretary of the Traders Association in the complex, Juventus Okpala-Okaka, said the protesters acted despite steps already taken by the market leadership to address their concerns.
Okpala-Okaka said the association had received complaints from youths in the market over the activities of Chinese merchants and subsequently set up a committee to investigate the matter.
“We heard their complaint and decided to set up a committee that would look into it,” he said.
According to him, the youths nevertheless commenced the protest on Monday, prompting the association to invite their representatives to a meeting with its president, who appealed to them to suspend the action while the committee addressed their grievances.
He said the protesters were subsequently asked to nominate between 30 and 50 representatives to work with the committee and the association’s executives.
Okpala-Okaka said a meeting was held on Tuesday involving the committee, the protesters’ representatives and the association’s executives, adding that significant progress was made towards resolving the dispute.
“Everything was gradually resolved,” he said.
He added that the local government chairman and the police area commander later visited the complex to assess the situation.
According to him, the officials were briefed on the steps already taken by the market leadership before addressing the traders, including Chinese representatives operating in the complex.
He said the intervention further helped to resolve the matter, adding that “things have been resolved.”
Videos circulating on social media on Tuesday showed some traders carrying placards with inscriptions including, “Chinese must go,” “They should go far from our market environment and not be taking our customers,” and “This is a peaceful protest.”
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So crazy