Maiduguri — Recently, the Borno state government resorted to the use of coercion to wrestle thousands of persons, of different ages and gender who daily display goods along markets, roads and public areas in Maiduguri, a move it believed would clear the streets of traders who have defied all efforts to be relocated.

For so many years, traders had taken over township roads, especially those along Monday Market, the post office, Customs Area, Baga Road Motor-Park, Mairi Motor-Park, and many other places, constituting so much threat to public safety as well as causing severe disorderliness.

Before the latest move on the orders of Governor Ali Modu Sheriff, the atmosphere from the post office down to Monday Market, which is a straight path, was better imagined. Along both sides of the dual carriage way, goods of all kinds were displayed.

Inside Monday Market, the scenario was very displeasing. Vehicles could not move with ease even in the event of emergency. Goods were everywhere and roads no where. The market lacked any semblance of orderliness. Many saw the market's disorderliness as the reason why rescue operations were barely successful when parts of the market were destroyed by fire some years back.

The road behind the market, leading to Hausari/Babban Layi, was completely hijacked by traders selling tomatoes, meat, clothes, vegetables, grains, and household utensils, as well as hawkers of various goods, wheel barrow pushers among others, leaving virtually no way for motorists. Only commercial motor cyclists struggled to share the road with the traders.

The roads from the market leading to Gwange and that linking it with Gidan Madara were made very narrow and horrible because goods of various types took over the paths.

Around the Customs Market, on the road linking to Bama Road, fish sellers and traders of various goods, wheel barrow pushers and hawkers caused severe traffic jams. The case was the same around Mairi and Baga Motor Parks.

The Borno State Urban Planning and Development Board thought it was wise to call the activities of the traders to order. Some time in May last year, the board held meetings with representatives of the street traders following which it issued a two-month ultimatum to the traders to relocate to markets the board's general manager, Ibrahim Magaji, said were available with empty shops.

The board claimed that the activities of the traders were out of deviance because they abandoned shops inside Bolori Market, Tashan Kano Motor-Park Market, Monday Market, Customs Market, Gulun Market and Gambaru all of which had spaces to accommodate them.

For instance, the board lamented, butchers selling meat by the roadside around Monday Market abandoned an abattoir built inside the market, where the section reserved for them was specifically designed with nets to prevent flies from infecting the meat.

The board's ultimatum for all roadside traders in all parts of Maiduguri to relocate to any of the markets built for them was supposed to expire on the 29th of July, 2007, with a warning that defaulters were going to face severe disciplinary measures.

But over one year after the directive was issued, the street traders only multiplied in number while they continually sealed roads, littered everywhere with all forms of goods, making mobility very difficult while the state's capital became dirtier.

Kanem Trust reports that the management of the Borno Urban Planning Board was seemingly helpless as politics came into play. Some of the traders ran to political office holders, claiming that they were being deprived of the chance to earn their livelihoods. Some of the politicians, it was gathered, mounted pressure on the Board to desist from relocating the street traders since local government elections were then yet to be conducted. There was fear that the traders could revolt during elections.

In addition to using the political potentials, those traders around Monday market ganged up and went to court. Numbering about 472, the traders challenged the decision of the board to relocate them. A federal high court in Maiduguri, where the case was filed, passed an order of interim injunction restraining the Attorney General of Borno state, the Monday Market Company Limited and the Borno State Urban Planning Development Board from relocating the traders.

The traders claimed that there were no places for them inside the market and besides, they said, they had paid over N1,080,000 to the Maiduguri Monday Market Company, as "rent" for the use of the roadside. On this premise, they argued, selling along the roads was legitimate since they were acting with the consent and approval of the market authority and by extension, the Borno state government since revenues were remitted to it.

The traders also claimed that they were formally registered and each of them paid a monthly registration fee of N300 to the market authority which goes into government coffers. As such, they maintained, government lacked the legitimate powers to stop them from selling items along the roads and outside markets.

Government, on its part, did not really seem ready to combat the traders especially with the local government elections then still pending. It however moved to have the Borno State House of Assembly enact a law to make selling goods by the roadside unlawful. That move lasted for months with nothing being heard of it.

A few weeks ago, however, the story changed. The respite enjoyed by the traders was over. Governor Ali Modu Sheriff first visited Monday Market for on-the-spot assessment of happenings. He then directed street traders around markets and other public areas, such as the post office in Maiduguri, to vacate the streets within two weeks or face forceful relocation but his order was taken for granted.

Unknown to the traders, Sheriff, putting his political interest on the line, was prepared to change the status quo as he set up a committee to use every lawful means to achieve government's goal.

Within a few days, armed mobile police men were stationed around Monday Market and the post office. In no time, the market became orderly inside and out. No one dared to sell anything along the roads. Vehicular passage became smooth as it is now possible to even drive inside the market with ease and comfort. Street traders gave way to motorists and a better environment was ensured. The heavily jam-packed post office now wears a good look.

There is, however, a need for government to undertake similar action around the Baga Road Motor Park where many of the relocated street traders appeared to be moving from the post office and Monday Market, a situation that is already aggravating the terrible situation in that area. Similarly, the relocation campaign should also be applied to an auto mechanic village popularly called "Bola", which is located a few metres away from the post office, where tattered vehicles have been dumped all over, causing severe traffic jam and leaving the entire place unhygienic.

In addition to the relocation exercise, however, there is the need for the Borno state government to ensure that market stalls are made available and affordable for the relocated traders; and also to ensure that facilities such as roads, water, and electricity which seem lacking in some of the designated markets, are immediately put in place, observers feel. There should also be effective machineries to prevent favouritism and exploitation by authorities in the course of allocating shops/stalls to the 'distressed' traders.

The government also needs to draw up a policy that will make it impossible for market facilities used by the relocated traders along roads, markets and other public places to be utilised by other road side traders in the nearest or distant future. The failure of successive governments to put an end to road side trading in Maiduguri, many feel, must be seen as a situation which should only make the present administration to remain firm in its drive to create a healthy and orderly atmosphere for socio-economic activities in the ancient city, traditionally referred to as 'Yarwa'.