Bukuru Cattle Market: Demolition Exercise And  Plan of  Relocating The Market Will Bring More Hardship To Community

Yakubu Samson

The Chairman of Jos South Traders Association, and Kara Market, Alh Bala Muhammed has appealed to the Plateau State Government to intervene in the current demolition exercise embarked upon at  Kara Market Community In Bukuru  Jos South Local Government Of Plateau State Over Plans by the government to relocate the market from Its original place.

Speaking he said our children are discriminated against, and barred from all sorts of benefits such as scholarships and employment in the civil service in the State. We mostly depend on (Kara) market only for survival.

Muhammed called on the government to be aware that the Kara market is one of the best-functioning cattle markets operating in Northern Nigeria with nearly all residents of Bukuru carrying out their businesses in different categories ranging from  Dealers, Retailers, Middlemen and Cows Head Attendants.

The Chairman of Kugiya Market, Malan Abba, and Mr. Emma at a joint press conference held in Jos South LGA on the 16th Day of May 2024.

Muhammed said that regrettably, a few days ago the unfortunate demolition exercise was taken to the popular Kugiya Market in Bukuru, Jos South Local Government of the State where many traders are still literally gnashing their teeth following the loss they suffered from the demolition.

He said the government did not give them any notice to relocate according to the Chairman of Jos South Traders Association, Malan Abba, and Mr. Emma, Chairman of Kugiya Market respectively.

According to him, “Today we call you to use your various mediums of communication to appeal to Plateau State government and her agency saddled with the responsibility of demolishing “illegal structures” within Jos Bukuru Metropolis to temper justice with mercy and do the demolition within the confine of the law and to consider the harsh economic situation in the country.

We invited you because of the important roles you play in society of being the voice of the voiceless and, in most cases, unearthing injustice to the disadvantaged.

Bala explained further that, It is no longer news that the Plateau State government and it agency, Jos Metropolitan Development Board (JMDB) have embarked on aggressive demolition of alleged illegal structures and markets in Jos and Bukuru Metropolis to bring back the serene beauty of the State and it environs,” the statement read.

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We are using this opportunity to appeal to the government of Plateau to put on hold the recent rumors making the rounds that plans are in top gear to relocate the Kara Cattle Market from the Community that had been operational for over 80 years now.

We in the affected community are not challenging the government’s decision to relocate the cattle market, but because of the security challenges posing threats to our lives in the state in which the role of the government is to protect lives and properties and to promote the socio-economic wellbeing of its Citizens, we are appealing for consideration to our plight.

Bala Muhammed disclosed that the people of Bukuru are still holding freshly the horror of the discoveries by the Nigerian Army when they uncovered the shallow grave of missing Maj. Gen. Idris Alkali (rtd), cattle vans, motorcycles, and other things belonging to our members were found alongside the General’s Car in a pond at Dura Du.

He reminded the people of Bukuru Community who are the main dominant of the market have not forgotten what happened at their former graveyard in Gero Community some few years back, when those going to bury their deceased were beaten and some killed while corpses were exhumed and mutilated.

Bala reiterated that the people of the community hardly move freely in fear of being harassed anywhere because of the disparity in tribe and religion with their neighbours.

He emphasized that these are some of the reasons, and others too numerous to mention, we, the Cattle Market community are pleading with the government not to relocate the market outside Bukuru.

We are appealing to the government to also put into consideration the economic advantages of the market to Plateau in particular and Nigeria as a whole, and its impact on the teeming unemployed Youth who get their daily food from there.

He appealed that it’s important to point out that the community is not benefitting anything from the government in terms of social, political, and economic welfare.

The market also employs people who load and offload goods and livestock like cattle, sheep, horses, and goats and their feeds.

This category of daily workers will be put out of their jobs if the market is relocated to a strange place, and above all not easily accessible to our children.

It’s worth mentioning that those in the profession of Veterinary medicine, Pharmaceutical Stores, Chemists, Provision Shops, Food Vendors, and many others will suffer business losses too.

The Kara market is a meeting point for fostering the bond of unity across ethnic, religious, and party lines because of the different groups that meet to discuss things of common interests irrespective of religious backgrounds.

He stated that the press briefing is not meant to challenge the government or blame its policies, but to appeal to it to temper justice with mercy with the view of stopping the idea of relocating the market.