By Blessing Etim
A Minister of the FCT, Mohammed Bello, has ordered the indefinite closure of Dei-Dei market in Abuja on Wednesday after inspecting the scene of the incident with Sunday Babaji, FCT commissioner of police, and other security agencies.
Impact News reported that Scores of people reportedly died, as shops, houses and vehicles were set ablaze in a clash between commercial motorcyclists and traders at Dei Dei, a community in Abuja Municipal Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory.
A source who spoke with reporters revealed that an accident involving a commercial motorcyclist popularly called Okada rider led to the clash.
“Ongoing clash between traders and Okada riders in a very big market located in the Federal Capital city of Nigeria, Abuja. As of now, I am not sure how many people have been killed,” he said.
Another eye witness recounted that an Igbo woman was crushed to death by a truck, following the alleged reckless riding of the commercial motorcyclist.
The deceased Igbo woman was said to be on a bike when the accident occurred, “She died while being rushed to the hospital”, According to an eye witness.
The tragedy however compelled some traders in the area to run after the motorbike and set it ablaze. This triggered a reprisal from commercial motorcyclists in the area as the angry commercial motorcyclists allegedly blocked the expressway and attacked motorists, shops, particularly the ones selling building materials, as well as Churches were said to be burnt and destroyed.
