A brewing dispute over the proposed relocation of traders from Karmo Sabo Market to a privately owned modern market in Old Karmo has taken a new turn, with the Village Head of Karmo Sabo, Chief Umar Garni Sarkin Karmo, warning that the move could create a communal crisis.
Sarkin Karmo has therefore appealed directly to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, on Monday to reconsider the planned demolition of the community market before the situation escalates.
The traditional ruler said the central issue was not opposition to development, but the location of the proposed alternative market and the fact that the communities involved belong to separate districts.
He explained that Old Karmo is in Old Karmo District, Karmo Sabo is in Karmo Sabo District, while Idu-Koro falls within Idu District.
“Who is going to be a landlord there?” he asked, arguing that moving traders from one community to another could raise questions of ownership, control and traditional authority.
According to him, Development Control recently summoned the affected communities to a meeting and informed them that approval had been given for the demolition of the existing Karmo Tuesday Market.
He said the proposed modern market was privately owned and that the relocation could place a heavy financial burden on low-income traders.
Sarkin Karmo noted that many of the affected traders operate with very little capital, sometimes between N5,000 and N20,000, making the long-term cost of operating in a modern market a major concern.
He said officials had offered the traders free occupation of shops for six months but questioned their fate after the six-month period.
“What happens after six months?” he asked, warning that traders unable to afford the subsequent charges could be pushed out of business.
The traditional ruler also rejected the idea that a community market must disappear simply because a privately owned modern market had been established nearby.
He said communities such as Dei Dei and Karu still maintain community markets despite the presence of modern markets.
Sarkin Karmo said the community was not against efforts to control roadside trading, adding that traders were already being encouraged to clear the roads whenever market activities overflowed.
He appealed to the FCT Administration to engage all stakeholders before taking any irreversible action.
The traditional ruler said he feared that forcing the relocation could create unnecessary tension between neighbouring communities, urging the government to resolve the matter “in good faith” and protect the interests of ordinary citizens.
