Authorities in Niger State have shut down and demolished the popular Thursday Weekly Madalla Market in Suleja Local Government Area.
The market, notorious for causing severe gridlock on the Abuja-Kaduna Highway, has been a long-standing concern for commuters and local officials.
Upon taking office, Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago pledged to relocate the market as part of his administration’s Urban Renewal initiative under the New Niger Agenda, aiming to ensure a free flow of traffic and improved urban planning.
The demolition was carried out by the Suleja Local Government, which manages the market.
Consequently, the market did not operate on its usual Thursday schedule this week.
Speaking with newsmen, Suleja LG Chairman Alhaji Isyaku Bawa Naibi explained that the decision to demolish the market was due to traders’ non-compliance with directives to avoid selling on the main road, which continued to exacerbate traffic congestion.
“The worst thing is that we are not getting any tangible revenue from the market; we get only N100,000 to N120,000 weekly from the market.
There are middlemen that rent spaces to these traders who come from up north, Kaduna, Jos, and other areas. So, for proper planning of the market, we decided to demolish it, relocate it temporarily to another area until we get approval to rebuild and plan the market for maximum benefit,” he stated.
The chairman noted that the demolition is part of broader efforts to enhance economic benefits for the council, the people of Madalla, and the state in general, while ensuring smoother traffic flow on the highway.
