Over a hundred roadside shops were demolished yesterday at Akute, a suburb of Ogun  State.

The demolition exercise was carried out by a construction outfit, OGROMA, on the  directive of the Ogun State Governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel.

P.M.NEWS gathered that the shops were demolished so that the major road linking  Ajuwon and Olambe can be expanded.

According to the ward councillor in the area, Mr. Ajuwon Nurudeen, the traders have  been notified about the exercise.

“We have been on this project for a while now, so this is just the appropriate time  to carry it out. The governor wants to expand this road and that is why he sent the  OGROMA team to  carry out the demolition,” Mr. Nurudeen said.

However, some of the affected traders described the incident as an unfortunate one.

“Yes, they notified us some months ago that there will be a demolition exercise but  we did not expect it so soon. Besides, doing such thing at this period is very wrong  because most of us had spent money buying wares for the yuletide. This is unfair,”  one of the affected traders, who identified himself as Mr. Chigozie, told  P.M.NEWS.

Another trader, Alhaja Bilikis, told our reporters that they were not against the  government’s plan towards expanding the road to ease traffic in the area but felt   the manner in which the order was carried out was wrong.

She said: “Of course, we will all be happy if the road is expanded. After all, it is  for the benefit of the society, but the notice they gave us was too short.”

—Bayo Adetu & Dedeigbo Ayodeji

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