Some members of the Oyo State House of Assembly have called on the state government to relocate the Shasha Market out of the present location in Ibadan.
They made the call during the plenary on Tuesday in Ibadan.
Olatunde Kehinde, representative of Akinyele State Constituency 2, said the present market facility could no longer accommodate the number of traders and volume of goods been traded at the market.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that on February 12, the market was thrown into pandemonium as traders of the Yoruba and Hausa ethnic extractions engaged in a violent clash.
The incident degenerated into reprisal by irate youths from the communities.
Kehinde urged the Police and other security outfits to be proactive in responding to conflicting issues, saying the clash could have been averted.
He said: “The unprecedented destruction, occasioned by the clash, have claimed many lives and properties.
“A lot of business owners are counting their losses and many have been rendered homeless.
“I know Governor Seyi Makinde swung into action, visited Shasha Market and appealed to the warring sides and ordered a full investigation into the ugly incident.”
Kehinde said in spite of the curfew, the two warring sides still engaged each other in reprisal and counter-allegations.
He added: “It’s been alleged that some security officers, who were deployed to maintain law and order, were not objective in the performance of their official duties and consequently protecting those from a particular ethic group.
“At best, they were seen standing aloof while the breaking down of law and order continues.”
Also speaking, Seyi Adisa, representing Afijo State Constituency, urged everyone not to read political meaning into the situation.
Adisa said that the situation “is basically a security problem and not political”.
He urged the state government to resuscitate the Ethnicity and Religious Committee for regular dialogue among all the concerned.
On his part, Adeola Bamidele, representing Iseyin/Itesiwaju State Constituency, said the Makinde Administration has equipped the Nigeria Police more than past administrations.
Bamidele blamed the Police for not being proactive.
The Majority Leader in the House, Sanjo Adedoyin, urged the governor to set up a committee on enquiry to identify the root cause of the problem and proffer lasting solution.
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