Hundreds of traders and shop owners in Ilorin’s bustling Post Office and Challenge business districts staged a protest on Monday, voicing their discontent with the Kwara State Government’s decision to erect barricades restricting access to their shops. Carrying placards with messages like “Don’t kill us,” “Challenge is a central market,” and “Single entrance can’t contain us,” the protesters expressed frustration over the severe impact of the barricades on their businesses and livelihoods. One trader lamented, “Our businesses have been badly affected as we cannot get customers to buy from us. This economic hardship is seriously biting harder.”
The barricades, part of a state government initiative to reclaim setbacks and curb road encroachments in commercial areas, have blocked key roads connecting Post Office, Challenge, Ahmadu Bello Way, and Tanke Road. Tensions escalated over the weekend when one of the barricades was reportedly torn down, prompting the state police command to deploy security forces to the area. A senior police officer, speaking anonymously, confirmed the deployment, stating, “We are here to maintain peace and order.” Like Mrs. Toyin Samson, traders appealed for relief, saying, “We have been denied our daily bread because many customers have abandoned us. We appeal to the government for more entrances to the Challenge market.”
Addressing the issue during a quarterly press briefing, ESV Abdulraheem Sulyman, Chairman of the Kwara State Geographic Information Service (KW-GIS), explained that the barricades were part of a Federal Government directive to enhance security across public institutions and major roads. Sulyman stated, “This exercise is being carried out across all 16 local government areas in Kwara State to secure public spaces.” However, traders have continued to protest the project’s execution, arguing that it stifles their ability to earn a living.
The opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), criticized the government’s actions, describing the barricades as “economic sabotage.” PDP Chairman Babatunde Mohammed accused the government of disregarding the livelihoods of small-scale entrepreneurs and vowed to reverse the decision if elected in 2027. “We will prioritize removing these oppressive walls to restore access and ensure businesses thrive,” Mohammed stated. The PDP also condemned the government’s perceived insensitivity, adding, “Erecting thoughtless fences that effectively shut down access to small-scale businesses shows a complete disregard for the economic well-being of citizens.”